The Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Kanto
by tagardner751
Summary: The main character in this story, Tristan, deals with the terrible Team Rocket in his very own home and gets kidnapped. This circumstance forces Tristan to move to New Bark Town. He travels across the land in order to catch, train, and be friends with Pokémon in order to be a Pokémon Master.
1. Chapter 1: THE DAY LIFE CHANGED

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! This is my very first fanfiction story and I hope you enjoy it. I have some information to pass along. First of all, I DO NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo. The art I used in my cover photo of this story belongs to artist Joy Chiang Ling. I'm a longtime Pokémon fan and have watched almost all the episodes of the anime and played many of the main series games. This story is based on my experiences on playing said games. While watching some of those episodes, I got ideas on some of my own characters. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the review section, and I will gladly reply to them. Please feel free to leave feedback of any kind because I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing skills.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **TEASER: This is the beginning of Tristan's Pokémon adventures, but it starts in the past with trouble with a capital T for terrible tragedy of terror. And that T is for Team Rocket!**

 **Chapter 1: THE DAY LIFE CHANGED**

 _(Music Cue: A Creeping Threat)_

A group of people were standing on a hilltop overlooking Pallet Town one gray morning. They had been sent from headquarters on a mission: Retrieve as many Pokémon from as many trainers as possible as a group and take good care of them. The people were wearing black uniforms with a big red letter R on them. They had gray gloves and boots as well as black caps.

It was time for the people to make their move. They got into their vehicles and sped down the hill towards the homes in the neighborhood. In one home, two young kids, Tristan and Hillary, who were ages six and three, respectively, were witnessing many vehicles closing in on many homes at the same time. Their parents, Sarah and Bill, were getting worried.

"I wonder what those guys are after," Sarah said, nervously.

"I don't like what they're doing," Bill said, suspiciously. He turned to Tristan. "Tristan, take Hillary to your room and don't come out until we know it's safe to do so. I'll call the police."

"But Daddy, what if you get in trouble?" Tristan asked.

"Just do it!" ordered Bill. "We'll be okay, but you've got to hide! There isn't much time!"

With that, Tristan grabbed Hillary and took her upstairs to his room. He was still worried about what would happen in the coming minutes. As he wondered, more of the uniformed men were closing in on the house. It just happened to be the last one on the list after every Pokémon inside was retrieved. Just as Bill put in a call to the police, two uniformed men barged into the home with a vengeance.

"Give us your Pokémon!" the first man ordered.

"We don't have ANY Pokémon!" countered Bill. "Now who are you and what do you want!?"

"I don't think you need to know," replied the second man.

"However, we think you and your family should come along with us," said the first man.

Sarah was horrified. "Please don't harm our kids!" she pleaded. "They've done nothing to you!"

"If you harm our children, even a little," waned Bill, "you will rue the day you barged in this house! Just what do you hope to accomplish, anyway?"

The first man chuckled then said, "We're from an evil organization called Team Rocket. Our mission is to steal Pokémon that are powerful and rare."

"Then, we'll use their power to take over the world," finished the second man.

"So make things easy and hand over your Pokémon," the first man demanded.

Sarah and Bill refused to hand their Pokémon over to the two men because they didn't have any Pokémon.

In retaliation, the men sent out one Beedrill each to threaten the parents with a battle.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

A white light emerged from the Pokéballs. When the Pokémon materialized from the light, they looked like bipedal yellow wasps with four legs.

"Beedrill, Twineedle attack!" both Grunts ordered.

The Beedrill lunged straight towards Sarah and Bill with their long conical stingers.

Sarah and Bill ducked in the nick of time, causing the Beedrill to strike a wall, getting them stuck in the process.

"If we can't steal any Pokémon here, we'll just take your kids along for the ride instead," the first man said.

"I'll get them," said the second man.

"Please don't do it! Leave them alone!" begged Sarah.

But it was no use. She and Bill were tied up by the men, who were upstairs in a flash, and kicked the door to the bedroom open where Tristan and Hillary were hiding. Hillary ducked under the bed, but Tristan wasn't so lucky. Instantly, he trembled and cried.

"Come on, kid," said the second man. "Let's go for a ride. We need to get you away for awhile." And he grabbed him ferociously.

"Let me go!" cried Tristan. "Let me go!"

"You're coming with us and that's final," said the second man. "From now on, Team Rocket is your new home."

"No! NO!" yelled Tristan as he struggled in the Grunt's arms. But no matter how much he squirmed and struggled, he couldn't get away. He was carried out of the house and put into the back of a fire-resistant truck where a sizeable number of PokéBalls from the Pallet Town heist was stored.

"Welcome home, kid! Ha ha ha ha!" laughed the man as he shut the door and locked it tight.

Meanwhile, lightning flashed, the thunder crashed, and the rain started to come down in sheets outside.

Inside the truck, the two grunts who kidnapped Tristan radioed their other teammates on their radio.

"Mission complete," said the first one.

"Head back to headquarters," said the second one.

"Yes!" the rest of them replied.

And they started their truck to their sinister destination.

Just then, police sirens were heard behind the truck. The sirens were coming from two police motorcycles occupied by an Officer Jenny.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

The grunts knew what that meant. If they were caught by the police, they'd go to jail. So the grunts shifted into overdrive with speeds of over 100 miles an hour, causing other traffic to swerve off the road to avoid an accident. Just behind the truck, Officer Jenny from Viridian City and Office Jenny from Pallet Town were hot on their tail.

"Pull over at once!" the first Jenny ordered.

"You're under arrest!" shouted the second Jenny.

The two Rocket grunts, who were speeding away, were still in panic mode.

"Can't this truck go any faster?" shouted the first grunt.

"This is as fast as it can go! I can't lose them!" panicked the second.

"Why can't those officers just give it up already?!" fumed the first grunt. "It's too dangerous to speed in this rainstorm!"

"You should talk!" retorted the second grunt. "We need to hurry and get away from these stubborn pests with this loot!"

Just then, the grunts saw an abandoned gas station. They knew this would be the rendezvous point to meet the rest of the grunts from Team Rocket Headquarters, so they decided to slow down. However, the grunt that was driving the truck accidentally put his foot on the gas pedal instead, causing it to get stuck on the floor.

"Don't hit the gas! Hit the brakes!" yelled the first grunt to the second grunt.

"I can't!" shouted the second grunt. "The gas pedal is stuck! I've completely lost control!"

As they spoke, the truck's wheels lost their grip with the wet road and sideswiped the gas tanks. Fortunately for everybody concerned, there was a bale of hay. The truck hit the hay, causing the truck to come to a complete stop.

The grunts turned off the engine of their truck. However, sparks from the gas tanks coupled with the exhaust from the truck and the hay that it hit caused a fire to ignite. The grunts now knew that there was no way they could get what they wanted by taking Tristan and the stolen Pokémon and giving them to the Boss, so they decided to evacuate the premises immediately with Pokéballs in hand, and left Tristan to burn in their wake.

The two grunts went inside the gas station and told the other grunts to evacuate because one, there was a fire, which presented imminent danger to everyone in the vicinity. Two, there were two police officers hot on their tails.

"We've got to get out of here with this bag of Pokéballs!" exclaimed the first Grunt.

"Come on, hurry!" shouted the other.

The other grunts disagreed with their recklessness because they had no intention of being arrested. So they fled for their lives without waiting for the first two grunts. The storm had stopped, so they didn't get wet as the other grunts ran.

"You're all cowards and deserters!" screamed the two Grunts. "We'll be taking the Pokéballs to the boss and get the credit ourselves!"

However, the officers caught up with the two grunts and arrested them on the spot. Then they recovered the Pokéballs and ran back outside to the abandoned truck.

Just then, Officer Jenny and Officer Jenny heard a banging sound coming from inside the truck where Tristan was.

"Let me out of here!" he shouted.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"There's someone inside the truck!" exclaimed the first officer to the second. "Quick! Let's get him out of here!"

They both knew that the gas tanks would cause a massive explosion, and there wasn't much time, so they opened the door of the truck and quickly pulled Tristan out. He was still petrified by the ordeal and clung tight to the first Officer Jenny. The officers evacuated the gas station with Tristan, the arrested grunts, and the bag of Pokéballs on their motorcycles and sped away from the fire as fast as they could. Seconds later, there was a tremendous explosion followed by a cloud of black smoke.

As for the rest of the Team Rocket grunts, they got away from the brunt of the explosion, but suffered first-degree burns from the heat because of it. They were relieved that the officers didn't catch them, but they were also angry at the thought that they had a defective truck to work with. Now they had to face the thought of reporting their failed mission to their Boss.

* * *

"You fools!" shouted a man, banging a fist on his desk. The man was the boss of Team Rocket: Giovanni.

Three Team Rocket agents, Jessie, James, and a talking Meowth, had shown him a Togepi that they thought was a rare and valuable Pokémon because it had been newly discovered not too long before. They thought it would make a very nice paperweight because they couldn't figure out exactly what attacks and abilities it had.

"You search for months and bring me this thing?! You're total incompetence!" Giovanni fumed. The three agents apologized and told him that they would be competent.

Just then, the phone rang. Giovanni was annoyed at the phone ringing because he was in the middle of reprimanding his agents for failing him yet again.

"What is it?" asked Giovanni when he picked up.

"Sir!" said a Rocket grunt. "There's been a huge explosion at the abandoned gas station, which was our rendezvous point!"

Giovanni was so shocked that his eyes were wide open. "What?! When?"

"Just minutes ago! Please hurry and get there!" panicked the grunt.

Giovanni put down the phone. "There's been an accident. I have to go. I'm leaving the three of you in charge of the Gym," he told the agents. That was a move, which would henceforth be known as mistake number one. His Persian opened the door of the office and ran out. Togepi walked out of the room behind Persian.

"Huh? The three of us?" asked Jessie.

"In charge?" put in James.

"Of da gym?" finished Meowth.

"Use these to protect the Gym if necessary," he said, tossing the trio three Pokéballs. The trio was surprised that they received new Pokémon to use. Giovanni sat in his chair and slowly backed it into a secret switch, which turned the wall behind him to the other side, causing him to disappear into a secret room.

"That means that…" began Jessie.

"…we just became…" continued James.

"…Gym Leaders!" finished Meowth.

Then, they tossed the three new Pokéballs into the air and shouted, "YAY!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of his office, Giovanni was walking with two armed guards who normally guarded the entrance to the Viridian City Gym down a dark dungeon. Two of Giovanni's Pokémon, a Golem and a Kingler, were seen in cages. A Cloyster was in a special water tank. At last, he and the soldiers stopped in front of a mysterious Pokémon in armor with cables attached to it.

"We have an emergency assignment for you," informed Giovanni to the Pokémon. He then pushed a lever, causing the cables to disconnect. Afterwards, the Pokémon's eyes glowed in a blue light, signaling that it was ready for the assignment.

* * *

The fire was still raging out of control at Team Rocket's rendezvous point thanks to the explosion. Giovanni and the mysterious Pokémon arrived there in one of Team Rocket's helicopters as fast as they could. As soon as they landed, Giovanni noticed a fire hydrant and had an idea.

"Use your Psychic attack to lift the fire hydrant," he instructed.

The Pokémon's eyes glowed in a blue color. As if it were like magic, the fire hydrant glowed in the same blue color and was lifted up into the sky, causing a geyser of water to shoot up from underground.

"Now aim the stream of water towards the fire," instructed Giovanni.

The Pokémon's hands glowed with the same blue color. Under its power, the stream of water was redirected towards the fire, putting it out instantly. Using its psychic abilities, the Pokémon then put the fire hydrant back into its original position. However, the abandoned gas station was no more. It had been reduced to nothing thanks to the explosion. Giovanni radioed the other grunts.

"This is the Boss," he said. "Are you all okay?"

"Yes, we are," one Grunt's voice said. "What should we do?"

"Head back to Team Rocket Headquarters at once," ordered Giovanni. "We'll come up with another plan another time."

"Yes, sir," said the grunt.

Giovanni put down the radio, and then he decided to pay a visit to the home belonging to a young boy because he knew how to charm children.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Tristan's house, his parents, Sarah and Bill, had been rescued by Officer Jenny and Officer Jenny after bringing him back safe and sound. Hillary was napping in Tristan's bedroom after hiding under the bed.

"Bill and I are most grateful to you for rescuing our boy," Sarah said to the officers. "How can we thank you?"

"It's part of our job," replied the first Officer Jenny.

"You may want to go out on your own journey soon," cautioned the second Officer Jenny. "You never know when Team Rocket will be back."

"However, it might be fun to travel with your very own Pokémon!" said the first Jenny excitedly.

"What about the two people who kidnapped our Tristan?" asked Sarah, worriedly.

"The two Team Rocket Grunts that took your kid away have been arrested for attempted kidnapping and multiple counts of theft," informed the second Officer Jenny.

"That's good," replied Bill. "Let's just hope that nobody tries to steal anything from anybody ever again."

"Things like that will happen from time to time, I'm afraid," the first Officer Jenny said sadly.

"But we can take the two Rocket Grunts to jail for you," said the second Officer Jenny happily. "We must be going. Take care now."

The two Officers ran out the door and continued with their business.

As for Tristan, he immediately rushed to the bedroom, much to the shock of Bill and Sarah.

"Poor thing," said Sarah sadly. "He must have been really scared."

"With the experience of being kidnapped followed closely by a life-threatening explosion, who wouldn't be?" replied Bill. "Those jerks will be sorry they ever kidnapped him! Mark my words!"

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Bill opened it cautiously and saw a smartly dressed gentleman. It was really Giovanni in disguise. "Who are you," Bill asked the gentleman.

"I am someone who can help your son completely forget about this awful experience with Team Rocket," Giovanni said. "I'm sorry he had to go through all that."

"Thanks to Team Rocket, Tristan's been hiding in his room ever since he got back," said Sarah. "I really don't know what to do."

"Don't worry," said Giovanni. "I can make those bad memories go away."

Giovanni and the mysterious Pokémon went upstairs to the kids' bedroom. It came forward to Tristan, who was still shaking with fear from the recent ordeal, and now he was more afraid of what this mysterious Pokémon would do to him.

"Who are you and what's happening?" whimpered Tristan.

"Relax, little one," said Giovanni, calmly. "This Pokémon won't hurt you. All it's going to do is help you forget your terrible experiences with Team Rocket. I promise you won't feel a thing."

The Pokémon's eyes glowed blue, as did Tristan. A stream of blue light transferred from Tristan to the Pokémon, freeing him of his painful memories of Team Rocket.

"That should do it," said Giovanni. He and the Pokémon came back downstairs to Sarah and Bill.

"Thank you very much, sir," said Sarah, who was greatly relieved.

"There must be something we can do to repay you," added Bill.

Giovanni wanted Sarah and Bill's Pokémon, but he knew that they didn't have any, and he knew that he was going to get Pokémon sooner or later. So instead he gave them instructions.

"I suggest you start a journey of your own," he said. "Find Professor Oak and ask if you can have a Pokémon to start your journey with. Then, call any relative that can help take care of the kids."

"We can take the kids with us, can't we?" asked Sarah.

"No, you mustn't take them with you," ordered Giovanni. "It's too dangerous at this point in time. You'll have to help them move someplace else because it will help Tristan forget about Team Rocket even more."

"If that's what you want, then we'll do it," said Bill.

"Now, I must be going, so please excuse me," said Giovanni. And with that, he and the Pokémon exited the house. After the door closed behind him, Giovanni smiled evilly. His plan to gain the trust of Tristan's parents had succeeded.

"What should we do?" asked Sarah to Bill.

Bill gave that question a lot of thought, and said, "We'll have to call Veronica and Eric."

"My parents Veronica and Eric?" asked Sarah with shock. "But they can't take care of Tristan and Hillary like this!"

"I'm positive that they can," reassured Bill. "Remember, they used to be Pokémon trainers, too. You and I never liked Pokémon, but now we have no other choice to start a journey of our own so we can learn to protect ourselves. Veronica and Eric will do a better job of taking care of the kids than we can right now. Plus, Veronica and Eric took care of you when you were just a kid. And when Tristan gets old enough, he can venture out and journey himself."

Reluctantly, Sarah agreed with the logic. "I'll call my mother and see what she says."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

Meanwhile, later that evening, in a little place called New Bark Town in the Johto region, Tristan's grandparents, Veronica and Eric, were watching a special report live on TV. They had known about the explosion that had taken place near Pallet Town.

"Oh, Eric, this is just terrible!" exclaimed Veronica. "That's near Sarah and Bill's place! I hope they're all right, let alone the children."

"Who would do such a thing?" asked Eric.

"Someone with an evil plot, no doubt," Veronica said.

A little Eevee agreed with them. "Vee," it said. It leapt on Veronica's lap.

"You just like being petted, don't you?" said Veronica to Eevee. She gently stroked the Pokémon on the head.

Eevee seemed to like the attention it got. It could tell that its Trainer could use some cheering up, especially seeing a stressful event like that.

"It looks like that Eevee could be a living stress reliever," smiled Eric.

"Well, that's one way of taking the tension away," replied Veronica.

Suddenly, the telephone rang.

"Would you mind getting that for me, dear?" asked Veronica to Eric. "I've got an Eevee on my lap."

"I've got it," said Eric. He answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Dad, this is Sarah," she said on the other end.

"How wonderful to hear from you, dear!" Eric said excitedly. "We heard about the explosion. Are you doing okay?"

"Yes, Dad," Sarah replied. "We're all doing just fine. We need your help, though."

"What can we help you with, dear?" asked Eric.

 _(Music Cue: The Enigma)_

Sarah explained to Eric that Tristan had recently been kidnapped by Team Rocket, but thanks to the assistance of Officer Jenny, he was safe and sound. He's been scared to get out ever since.

"That's terrible!" exclaimed Eric. "Are the kids all right?"

"They're fine," replied Sarah. "Hillary napped the whole time, but Tristan's still very shaken up from the ordeal. Then, he was able to forget about it instantly, and then he gave us some advice."

"Who is 'he?'" asked Eric.

"A smartly dressed gentleman," answered Sarah.

"What advice did this gentleman give you, sweetheart?" asked Eric.

"You see," sighed Sarah, "we were approached by a gentleman who told us that we needed to go out on a journey after we received our starter Pokémon from Professor Oak."

"That's great news, Sarah," said Eric. "Your mom and I are very proud of you for wanting to go out on a Pokémon journey."

"I'm afraid that's just the good news," said Sarah sadly. "The bad news is that the kids have to move somewhere else while we go on our journey. Can you help with that?"

"We've got plenty of room at our place, dear," said Eric. "The kids can stay until they're ready to start a journey of their own. We'll be sure to take good care of them."

"Thanks so much," said Sarah. "I need you to also do Bill and me a big favor."

"What's that, dear?" asked Eric.

"Please don't ever mention anything about Team Rocket under any circumstances," said Sarah. "That would disturb Tristan greatly."

"Understood," said Eric. "You prepare the kids for their move and we'll get things ready here."

"Thanks, Dad," said Sarah. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, dear," said Eric. "We love you." He hung up the phone.

Veronica came over to Eric. "What did Sarah need from us, Eric?" she asked.

Eric paused for a minute and began to speak. "She needs us to prepare bedrooms for Tristan and Hillary."

"But why is that?" asked Veronica. "Is it because of Team Rocket?"

Eric took Veronica aside and told her, "We must never mention Team Rocket. I promised Sarah we wouldn't."

Veronica was getting more and more nervous by the minute. "I don't know," she said. "I always loved taking care of children just as much as you did when we were raising Sarah, but I don't know how I will fare this time."

"We can do this together, dear," Eric said, feeling confident. "Remember that we got Eevee from a Pokémaniac named Bill who lives at the Sea Cottage just north of Cerulean City. It's not only strong, but very cute, too. It can help protect the children with confidence, just like we can."

Veronica thought about it for a moment, thinking about what Eric mentioned. Finally, she said, "Okay. Let's get things ready."

It didn't take Veronica and Eric long to make beds for Tristan and Hillary because they had extra space for them to sleep. They were excited and nervous at the same time because there would be two kids living with them again.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City M18A)_

The next morning, Sarah and Bill drove Tristan and Hillary out of Pallet Town in Kanto and made their way west to New Bark Town in Johto. A moving van was moving every toy that the kids owned. After they got to New Bark Town, Veronica and Eric greeted them warmly.

"Grandma!" shouted Tristan and Hillary excitedly.

"Hello, kids. Please come in," Veronica said.

"You wouldn't forget about me, would you?" Eric asked excitedly.

"No, Grandpa, we're glad to see you, too!" said Tristan and Hillary.

"We've prepared breakfast to celebrate everyone's arrival," announced Veronica.

"Yeah, let's eat!" said Tristan excitedly. He always loved food, and he thought that as long as he ate plenty of it, it would help keep his strength and spirit up. He had completely forgotten about the ordeal with Team Rocket from the day before thanks to Giovanni and his Pokémon, and seemed to be very happy. The others joined him at the table.

"I hope leaving the kids here with you won't bother you," said Sarah to Veronica.

"It won't bother us at all," said Veronica. "We'll take care of them just like we did for you. You and Bill just go out and enjoy your journey. Maybe when Tristan receives his first Pokémon in a few years, he can have a battle with you."

"We'd love that," Bill said.

After breakfast was over, Sarah and Bill left the house as Tristan, Hillary, and their grandparents waved bye-bye and went back to Pallet Town to see Professor Oak. Sarah chose Bulbasaur while Bill chose Charmander.

As for Tristan and Hillary, they met the Eevee that Veronica and Eric recently obtained from Bill at the Sea Cottage.

It quickly warmed up to the kids because it loved children.

They played all day each and every day.

* * *

A few days later, Tristan asked Veronica, "Is it true that you and Grandpa used to be Pokémon Trainers, Grandma?"

"Yes it is," she replied. "Being trainers was one of the greatest experiences of our lives. Of course, we have collected many Pokémon over the years. We may not have them with us here, but they are mostly collected by Pokémon Professors in reserve."

Tristan wanted to know more about the experiences. "How did you catch them?"

"Trainers use little tools called Pokéballs, like this one," explained Veronica. She pulled out a Pokéball from her pocket. It was red on top and white on the bottom with a button in the middle. It looked like a ping pong ball.

"But I thought Pokéballs were bigger than that," said Tristan, who was confused.

"They can be bigger," Veronica said, "but only if you push the button."

"May I push it?" asked Tristan. He wanted to get as much experience as he could before he started training Pokémon someday.

"Be my guest," Veronica said, handing the Pokéball to Tristan.

He went ahead and pushed the button on the Pokéball. Instantly, the ball grew into the size of a baseball. He was excited about it. He pushed the button again. Immediately, the ball shrank back to the size of a ping pong ball.

"Why do trainers push the button on the Pokéball all the time?" asked Tristan.

"Pokéballs are used to transport Pokémon inside, even if they're too big to carry when they're outside physically," Veronica explained. "Shrinking the Pokéball makes it easier to carry on your belt or in your pocket. Growing the Pokéball will make it easier to throw, just like when pitching a baseball."

 _(Music Cue: End of an Adventure)_

Tristan was intrigued by this new information he was receiving. He wanted to be a trainer as soon as he possibly could. He was even more intrigued when he discovered the Indigo Pokémon League on TV one day. It was broadcast live all over the world from the Indigo Plateau. Instantly, he fell in love with it. Pokémon of all shapes and sizes were flying, swimming and digging, while using electricity, fire, water, leaves, and acid. He also saw two trainers battle it out in the fifth round of the Pokémon League, but he wasn't expecting a certain Charizard to nap in the middle of a battle. That part made him want to fall asleep. The referee declared Charizard unwilling to battle a puny Pikachu named Sparky. But now that Tristan had seen these battles, including that one, there was only one thing that he wanted to be. He wanted to challenge as many trainers as he could in order to be a Pokémon Master.

 **►TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. Chapter 2: LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 2. This is where Tristan gets his very first Pokémon. As always, please feel free to leave any and all feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan leaves the comforts of New Bark Town behind him and begins his journey. And square one begins in Pallet Town.**

 **Chapter 2: LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!**

 _A hero is born every day. Every hero will have his strengths and weaknesses. But one hero will soon leave the comforts of his home behind and start a brand new journey._

A beautiful sunrise peaked over the horizon of New Bark Town in the Johto region one lovely morning. The sky was clear and the breeze was light and warm.

Inside the house, Tristan opened his eyes and woke up from his sleep. He looked more grown-up. He yawned and greeted the day excitedly. Today, he was more so than usual because he was getting ready to start his own Pokémon journey. He excitedly turned on the TV set in his room and thought he heard someone talking to him.

 _(Music Cue Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998)_

"Hello there!" a voice said. "Welcome to the world of Pokémon!"

The boy's heart skipped a beat. He felt like the TV set was talking to him. As the screen lit up, a middle-aged man in a white lab coat appeared.

"Who are you?" asked Tristan

"My name is Oak!" replied the man. "People call me the Pokémon Professor!"

"You're really talking to me through a TV screen?" asked Tristan, who was surprised and amazed.

"That's right, young man," Oak replied. "This world is inhabited by creatures called Pokémon."

"Pokémon?" asked Tristan in fascination.

"Correct," said Oak. "Some Pokémon are kept as pets. Others use them for battles. As for me, I study Pokémon as a profession."

"Wow," Tristan said in wonder. He had studied Pokémon by watching League matches and learning from his grandparents, Veronica and Eric, before that fateful morning when Professor Oak talked to him on the screen, yet he still wanted to be in that world to learn about them firsthand.

"First, what is your name?" asked the Professor.

The boy was quick to respond. "My name is Tristan, sir."

"Right! So your name is Tristan!" The professor then turned to a boy with blue spiky hair as the screen panned towards him. "This is one of my grandsons. You may or may not be familiar with Gary, my other grandson, but his cousin, my other grandson, has been your rival ever since you were a baby," Oak said. "…now what was his name again?"

Tristan was surprised. He thought that every person knew their own grandson's name. Still, he knew the blue-haired person ever since he was born, and then said, "His name is Blue."

"That's right! I remember now! His name is Blue!" Oak said. He then turned away from Blue and looked at the camera. "Tristan!" he said. "Your very own Pokémon adventure is about to unfold! A world of dreams and adventures awaits you! Let's go!" And with that, the TV turned off all by itself. Tristan didn't push any buttons. Did Professor Oak turn it off? And if so, how did he do it? Tristan didn't have time to think about that because there was only one thing on his mind: starting a Pokémon journey.

"YES!" he shouted excitedly. "I will prove to everyone that I can be a great Trainer. And no matter what Pokémon I meet along the way, I'll be sure to be friends with them. And soon, every one of my dreams will come true as I fulfill my destiny, and someday, I will be a Pokémon Master!" He raised his right arm over his head as he made his proclamation. "Just wait till Hillary hears about this!" And he dashed out of the bedroom. Immediately, he ran across the hall to Hillary's room. "Hillary, guess what?" he shouted excitedly.

Hillary turned around and moaned. "I was sleeping, Tristan," she said grumpily. "What is it that will get me out of bed and feel as excited as you are?"

"Today's the day I'm starting my brand new Pokémon journey!" said Tristan. "I get to pick my very first Pokémon!"

"That's nice," grumbled Hillary. "Now may I please go back to sleep?"

"Go back to sleep? Did I wake you by any chance?" asked Tristan innocently.

"Why must you always be so energetic in the morning!?" shouted Hillary. But before she could finish her sentence, Tristan had already left the room to get ready for the day.

"I might as well face the day, too," grumbled Hillary. "It's not fair. Why does Tristan get to pick a Pokémon and I don't, anyway?" But just then, a thought crossed her mind. "I may not have Pokémon, but once Tristan does, I can travel along with him! I can give him advice whether he wants it or not!"

Hillary was starting to get more and more excited by the second, so she quickly got ready for the day and met Tristan downstairs in the dining room. Their grandparents, Veronica and Eric, were waiting for them.

"Good morning, kids," they said cheerfully.

"Good morning," replied the children. They were very excited, indeed.

Veronica and Eric's Eevee jumped on Tristan's lap.

"Good morning, Eevee," Tristan said. "It's always a pleasure to see you." He gently stroked its fur.

Veronica spoke to Tristan. "Now that your tenth birthday has come and gone," she said, "it's time for you to get out, see the world, and pick your first Pokémon."

"This will be great experience for you," added Eric. "We went on many adventures when we were your age,"

"At times, you'll find yourself in danger," cautioned Veronica, "but your Pokémon friends should be able to get you right out of it."

"I'll remember that," said Tristan. He was feeling very confident.

Veronica turned to Hillary. "As for you, dear," Veronica began, "you may not be old enough to have Pokémon yet, but if you do well enough to give Tristan advice on his journey, you may just see your very first Pokémon a lot sooner than you think."

Tristan became nervous. "But what if Hillary gets in danger?" he asked.

"You'll be able to get her out of it one way or another," Eric said.

Tristan felt better after that, but he still wasn't sure that having Hillary tag along with him was a good idea.

* * *

After breakfast, Veronica and Eric handed Tristan and Hillary a map and compass to guide them to Professor Oak's Laboratory in Pallet Town in the Kanto region. They explained that most new trainers who want to start from the very beginning should start there; however, other trainers started somewhere else.

"Follow this road to the east and you should reach Pallet Town," explained Veronica. "New trainers should be able to choose between Bulbasaur, a Grass-type; Charmander, a Fire-type; and Squirtle, a Water-type."

"I sure would love to have them all on the same team," said Tristan, eagerly.

"Don't get greedy, Tristan," Hillary whispered impatiently. "You know what happens to greedy people, right?"

"That doesn't sound too familiar to me, but I know that being greedy isn't right," Tristan said to Hillary.

A few years before, Tristan and Hillary escaped with their lives after some Team Rocket Grunts tried to steal every Pokémon in the vicinity of Pallet Town. Their brothers, Braden and Evan, were on another journey at the time. Tristan was the only person who remembered those events, and was truly traumatized by them; however, because a mysterious Pokémon had been in Giovanni's possession, he had asked it to clear Tristan's memory of the incident afterwards. His true evil intentions now remained a mystery to Tristan.

Tristan got interested in Pokémon one day after watching Pokémon League matches live on TV. He wanted to be in them the instant he saw them for the first time. But he wasn't old enough to get a Pokémon yet. Now that he was, he could now choose one of three Pokémon in Pallet Town today.

Tristan and Hillary walked out the door with Veronica and Eric saying their goodbyes.

"Be careful, kids!" called Veronica.

"Don't forget to call us sometimes, too!" called Eric.

"We will!" replied the children, and they left the house to start their new adventure.

* * *

An hour or so later, Tristan and Hillary were walking their way east through a dark, foggy forest. They were both nervous, but Tristan kept his cool. If he was going to have Pokémon and protect Hillary, he figured that it would be best to remain calm. So he decided to take charge and be the leader by taking out his map and compass.

"Tristan, this forest is as thick as pea soup," said Hillary, nervously. "Are you sure we're heading in the right direction?"

"I'm not sure," answered Tristan, "but I'll try and find a way out of here." He studied the map. However, he didn't see the really steep hill on the east side of the forest and tumbled a long way down, shouting as he fell.

Hillary rushed over. "Tristan, no!" she shouted, and ran after him. As they went down the hill, the fog lifted, and things cleared up. And all the while, Tristan was still tumbling down the hill. At last, he reached the bottom of the hill and tumbled to a stop on the ground and landed on his stomach.

"Ow," he groaned. "That wasn't fun."

Hillary ran to his side. "Tristan, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'll be okay," he said, struggling to his feet.

"That's typical," grunted Hillary. "If you had watched where you were going, you wouldn't have hurt yourself."

"You should have told me there was a steep hill!" he countered.

"There you go again, blaming me for your errors," retorted Hillary.

"It wasn't my fault!" protested Tristan. "Blame it on the hill!"

"Oh, so now you're blaming a steep hill for your fall?"

"Well, I didn't fall all by myself, did I?"

"I think you just did."

They stopped arguing long enough for them to realize that they had gotten out of the fog, and were almost to Pallet Town. Tristan had wandered into the tall grass when suddenly, a voice stopped him.

"Wait, you two! Don't go in there!"

It was Professor Oak, the person Tristan saw on TV earlier that morning. He was surprised to see him in the forest.

"That was a close one," said Professor Oak. "Wild Pokémon live in tall grass."

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting_

As he spoke, a yellow lightning bolt shot out from the other side of the grass.

"That can't be a storm, can it?" asked Tristan.

"I don't think so," said Hillary, nervously.

"That was a Thundershock," replied Professor Oak. "Stand back, you two. I'll take care of this."

A wild yellow Pokémon flashed out of the grass. It was short, chubby, and had two round red sacs on its cheeks and two horizontal brown stripes on its back. Its tail was shaped like a lightning bolt. It charged at Professor Oak with electric sparks coming out of its cheeks, but he was ready for it, so he threw a Pokéball at it. With precise accuracy, and timing, the button hit the Pokémon, causing it to be bathed in a red beam of light, and disappeared inside the ball. The Pokéball wiggled while the red button was flashing on and off. After a few seconds, the ball stopped wiggling and the light stopped flashing. The Pokémon had been caught.

Tristan was awestruck. "Wow, did you just catch that Pokémon?" he asked Professor Oak.

"Yes, I did, young man," he replied. "That Pokémon was a Pikachu."

"A Pikachu?" Tristan asked.

"It was so cute!" said Hillary.

"As you know, Pokémon may appear at any time," explained Professor Oak. "I suggest you be careful." Then he got an idea. "Why don't you come with me to my research lab?"

Tristan and Hillary were really excited. "May we?" they asked together.

"Of course!" replied the professor. "Be my guests!" He turned to Hillary. "By the way, who is this with you, Tristan?"

"This is Hillary, Professor," replied Tristan. "She's too young to be a Trainer yet, but my grandparents sent her along to learn with me."

"Nice to meet you, Professor Oak," said Hillary.

"Nice to meet you, too, Hillary," he said to her. "I have a feeling that you're going to learn quickly as soon as you become a real Pokémon Trainer.

* * *

Professor Oak's laboratory had three windows in the inner balcony, four windows on the second floor, and a red roof on top. There was a wind turbine with yellow blades next to it. There were over 20 steps leading up to the entrance. Professor Oak welcomed Tristan and Hillary inside. He led them up to the research area on the second floor. Another kid was in the room, waiting for the professor. It was the person that Tristan saw on TV just before he left New Bark Town. He recognized him immediately. It was Blue.

"Hey, Gramps!" Blue complained. "I'm fed up with waiting!"

Professor Oak was confused. "Blue? Why are you here already? I told you to come back later…Ah, whatever, wait there for a minute." He turned to Tristan. "Do you see that ball over there on the table? It contains a Pokémon inside. You may have it."

Tristan couldn't contain his excitement any longer. He couldn't wait to see what his first Pokémon was going to be. Was it Charmander? Would it be Squirtle? Or Bulbasaur, perhaps?

Hillary may have been impatient with Tristan, but she had to be happy for her older brother for choosing his first Pokémon.

However, Blue was losing his patience. "Hey! Gramps, what about me?!"

"Be patient, Blue," said Professor Oak to Blue. "I'll give you a Pokémon later."

Tristan walked over to the table to where the Pokéball was. But just as he was about to take it, Blue saw him, pushed him out of the way, and snatched it.

"No way, Tristan! I want this Pokémon!" declared Blue.

"Blue, what are you doing?" demanded Professor Oak.

"Grandpa, I choose this Pokémon!" Blue replied.

"All right, then," conceded Professor Oak. "You may have it. I was going to give you a Pokémon anyway." He motioned for Tristan to come to him. "Tristan, this is the Pokémon I caught earlier," he said, taking the Pokéball out of his pocket. "As you know, I caught it in the wild, and it's not tame yet." He handed the Pokéball to Tristan, who was overjoyed.

"I got a Pokémon!" he shouted excitedly, then turned to Hillary. "Our adventure starts right here, right now! Come on!" He took Hillary by the hand and started dragging her out of the room.

"Hold it, Tristan!" Blue called. Tristan and Hillary stopped in their tracks. "Let's check out our Pokémon! I'll take you on in a Pokémon battle!"

Tristan suddenly felt nervous. "Me? Battle?"

* * *

Professor Oak led the kids to a green grassy field out back. Blue was feeling confident. He and Tristan faced each other on opposite sides of the field.

"I'll go first and show you how it's done!" said Blue. He threw his Pokéball. A white beam of energy shot out of it, and materialized into a mammalian quadruped creature with primarily brown fur in front of Blue. It looked so familiar to Tristan and Hillary that they were both shocked in an instant.

"It's an Eevee!" gasped Tristan.

"That's right," said Blue. "This Eevee is my very first Pokémon, and will help me claim my first victory."

"Not with this Pokémon, it won't!" said Tristan. He threw his Pokéball.

A white beam of energy shot out of his Pokéball and materialized into a yellow Pokémon with red electric sacs on its cheeks and two horizontal stripes on its back. Sure enough, it was the same Pikachu that Professor Oak just caught. It stood in front of Tristan, waiting for its first command.

"I'll make the first move and win with it," said Blue.

"How do you do that?" asked Tristan.

"I'll show you with this," he said to Tristan, then gave his first command to Eevee. "Eevee, Tackle now!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne"))_

At Blue's command, Eevee charged at Pikachu with a full-body charge at a high rate of speed.

Tristan didn't know what to do. He was too confused and nervous to move, but he knew he had to do something to get Pikachu out of danger.

"Pikachu, watch out!" shouted Tristan.

Just after Tristan said that, Pikachu jumped out of the way of Eevee's attack, then landed on its feet. It didn't take any damage.

Tristan was relieved that Pikachu didn't get hurt, but was also inspired about the fact that Pokémon do whatever people tell them to do. But he still didn't like the fact about hurting other Pokémon.

"Not bad, kid," said Blue. "You may have gotten Pikachu out of the way, but this battle is just beginning!"

"Why are you hurting my Pikachu?" demanded Tristan to Blue.

"Eevee isn't hurting Pikachu at all," explained Professor Oak to Tristan. "This is how Pokémon battle and gain experience from battling other trainers and Pokémon. They aren't really hurting each other. Don't forget that even if a Pokémon is rendered unable to battle, they just don't have the energy to battle anymore. They're not in danger of being destroyed."

Tristan felt better after that, but he still had the problem of battling Blue's Eevee.

"Eevee, Tackle now!" yelled Blue.

Again, Eevee charged at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, jump again!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu jumped out of the way of Eevee's attack again, but after it landed on its feet, Eevee did a quick turnaround and nailed a successful Tackle into Pikachu from behind, causing it to crash into the ground. This made Tristan worry.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan. "Can you keep going?"

Pikachu quickly rose to its feet, feeling energetic.

"That's the spirit, Pikachu!" Tristan said. He felt better. This may have been his first battle, but now he felt like a trainer participating in a Pokémon League match. He knew he had to make something count, but he didn't know what.

"There's no way you're going to win a battle by just avoiding attacks and doing jumping jacks all day," said Blue to Tristan. "That's just boring."

"Then what do I do?" asked Tristan.

"Your Pokémon's going to have to attack my Eevee sooner or later," said Blue, "but when it does, it will be too late." He was feeling rather cocky indeed. "And even if you manage to THINK of an attack to use, you don't know what attacks your pathetic Pokémon is able to use." He then laughed at Tristan, thinking of him as the weakest trainer he ever battled. Then he turned to Eevee. "Finish that pathetic Pokémon with Tackle!"

Eevee charged at Pikachu for one last Tackle to finish the battle. Tristan just stood there, not knowing any of Pikachu's attacks. Just then, yellow lightning sparks came out of Pikachu's cheeks. Tristan suddenly remembered just the attack he needed to use. He thought back to when Professor Oak explained about Thundershock. And that was just the attack to stop Eevee in its tracks and defeat Blue.

"Pikachu, Thundershock now!" shouted Tristan at the top of his lungs.

Pikachu smiled at the command. It knew it could trust its Trainer from that point on. So it intensified its sparks sizzling from its cheeks, then shot a large and fast yellow lightning bolt from its body at the charging Eevee. Eevee was struck head on by the Thundershock. It was so powerful that Eevee collapsed in a heap. It had a stunned expression in its eyes. The Pokémon had fainted. Blue gasped in shock.

Professor Oak ruled Eevee unable to battle and declared Tristan and Pikachu the winners.

Tristan was surprised. "I won?" he asked. "With just one attack?" He then praised Pikachu, picked it up, and did a victory dance with Pikachu in his hands.

Blue was shocked and a little upset that he underestimated Pikachu's power. "Unbelievable!" shouted Blue. "I picked the wrong Pokémon!" He aimed the Pokéball's button at the fainted Eevee.

A beam of red light shot from the ball toward it. Eevee dematerialized into a red beam of energy and disappeared into the Pokéball.

It was then that Blue made his decision. "Okay! I'll make my Pokémon battle to toughen it up!" He turned to Professor Oak and Tristan. "Gramps, Tristan, Smell you later!" He then left the field and set off, leaving Tristan, Hillary, and Professor Oak behind.

* * *

Back in the lab, Pikachu had returned to its Pokéball, but not for long, for suddenly it appeared out of the Pokéball for no reason at all. It didn't seem very happy about being confined inside its ball.

Tristan and Hillary were most surprised.

So was Professor Oak. "It seems that your Pikachu dislikes Pokéballs," he said to Tristan. "You should just keep it outside with you. That should make it happy."

Tristan turned to his Pikachu. "Is that what you want, Pikachu?" he asked it.

"Pikachu!" it smiled happily.

"Then it's decided," said Tristan. He picked Pikachu up and held it high. "Welcome to adventure, Pikachu!"

Hillary was still confused. "I thought all Pokémon usually stayed inside their Pokéballs. Why doesn't this one do it?" she asked.

"There are some exceptions to that rule," replied Professor Oak. "Most of the time, it depends on the Pokémon's personality. Some Pokémon, like Tristan's Pikachu, apparently don't like being confined in a small space."

Then, Professor Oak turned to Tristan and handed him a red handheld electronic device.

"This is a Pokédex," he explained. "It will let you know about any Pokémon you scan or look up. This is for you."

"Thanks a lot, Professor Oak," said Tristan. He couldn't wait to get his journey started. He immediately opened his Pokédex.

The Pokédex spoke in a male electronic voice and said, " _I'm Dexter, a Pokédex programmed by Professor Oak. This unit belongs to Tristan of New Bark Town._ "

"Awesome. It talks!" said Tristan.

"What does the Pokédex say about Pikachu, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter says," said Tristan, and scanned Pikachu with his Pokédex.

It said, " _Pikachu: The Mouse Pokémon. Pikachu keeps its tail raised to monitor its surroundings. Anyone who yanks its tail may result in being bitten along with a shocking aftermath._ "

"Let's just hope that nobody tries that tactic on my Pikachu," said Tristan.

"Agreed," replied Professor Oak. He than handed Tristan five Pokéballs. "These Pokéballs will help you catch new Pokémon along the way. Battle wild Pokémon with your Pokémon whenever you encounter them. As soon as the wild Pokémon have been weakened, throw your Pokéball at the Pokémon. It will disappear inside and will be given a chance to escape. If it doesn't escape from the ball, then the Pokémon will be caught."

"Understood, Professor," said Tristan.

"Please remember that you can only carry six Pokémon with you at a time, with Pikachu included," added Professor Oak. "If you want to switch out one of your Pokémon at any time, please be sure to contact me."

"We'll do that," said Tristan. He was looking forward to making new Pokémon friends after starting his journey.

"But before you go, there's someone that I'd like you to meet," said Professor Oak to Tristan and Hillary.

As he spoke, a young woman wearing a pink shirt and blue dress came out from under the table. "Surprise!" she said.

Tristan and Hillary were so surprised that they almost fell backward.

"Sorry about that," the woman said. "I didn't mean to startle you. My name's Delia Ketchum."

"My name's Tristan," said Tristan. "And this is my little sister, Hillary. She's traveling along with me at my grandparents' request."

"Nice to meet you," said Hillary.

"I always wanted to see new trainers off on their brand new journey, especially my son, Ash," said Delia to Tristan and Hillary. "I miss him so much when he goes off on his adventures. I hope all goes just as well for the both of you as it has for Ash."

"We're here to help out in case you run into any trouble," said Professor Oak. "Please be sure to give us a call every once in a while."

"We will," said Tristan.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

In a little while, Tristan and Hillary got directions to the nearest Pokémon Center in Viridian City.

"I suggest you catch some Pokémon for further protection, Tristan," instructed Professor Oak. "After all, the more Pokémon you catch, the better prepared you will be."

"I'll do that, Professor Oak," said Tristan, as he and Hillary waved goodbye to Professor Oak and Delia.

"Goodbye!" called Professor Oak. "Be careful and train hard!"

"Good luck on your journey, kids!" called Delia. "And I know I don't need to say this to you, Tristan, but don't forget to change your underwear!"

Tristan felt embarrassed, but knew that his parents and grandparents would say the same thing. As he, Hillary, and their new friend, Pikachu, said their goodbyes to everyone at the lab, they could just imagine new adventures as they left Pallet Town behind and headed north to their first destination: Viridian City.

Delia and Professor Oak smiled as they watched Tristan and Hillary leave.

"And now another Trainer has begun his journey," sighed Professor Oak.

"He'll do just fine," replied Delia. "Just like my Ash."

* * *

 _And so, a big day has taken place already. Tristan and Hillary reached Pallet Town. Tristan picked his first Pokémon, Pikachu. He took part in his very first Pokémon against another new Trainer named Blue and won in his first try. Now, Tristan and Hillary are on their way to their first destination: Viridian City. There will be plenty of excitement, many laughs, and a lot of mysteries as they take their first steps on their journey in the incredible world of Pokémon!_

 **►TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. Chapter 3: THE FIRST STEPS

**AUTHOR"S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here's chapter 3 of Tristan and Hillary's adventures. This one is shorter, but there will be longer ones as the story progresses. I'm going to try and post a teaser every time I post a chapter because I think it will get more readers into it. I hope you enjoy. As always, please review and provide feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have left the comforts of New Bark Town and Johto behind them. They have journeyed to Pallet Town in the Kanto region and made a new friend, who happens to be Tristan's very first Pokémon-Pikachu. They have now left Pallet Town to start their very first journey across the Kanto region to catch, train, and battle new Pokémon while making new friends and forging new rivalries along the way. They have now set their sights on their first destination-Viridian City, but when Tristan finds a Pokémon, will he have the skills to catch it? Tristan and Hillary also learn about the services of a popular convenience for Pokémon Trainers the world over-the Pokémon Center.**

 **Chapter 3: THE FIRST STEPS**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

 _Last time, Tristan and his sister, Hillary, made it to Pallet Town to begin their new journey when who should appear but Professor Oak, who caught a Pikachu. In no time, Tristan chose Pikachu, a Pokémon that didn't like traveling inside a Pokéball. Then, they participated in their first Pokémon battle against another Trainer named Blue and won on their first try. Together, they all set off toward their first destination: Viridian City. What surprises will be awaiting them?_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City (M18) (as heard in "The School of Hard Knocks"))_

As Tristan, Hillary, and their friend, Pikachu, made their way north to Viridian City, via Route 1, they found themselves going around ledges and through tall grass. They were very excited about the many experiences and the new Pokémon they would find along the way.

"I wonder what kind of Pokémon we're going to see first?" said Tristan.

"Who knows?" replied Hillary. "Maybe we'll find a strong Pokémon."

"Or even better, a rare Pokémon," added Tristan.

"Or, if we're really lucky, a Pokémon that's both strong AND rare," finished Hillary.

"Well, there are many Pokémon out there. One of these days, we're sure to see them all," said Tristan.

Just then, a small bodied avian Pokémon with wings and a beak jumped out of the grass in front of Tristan and Hillary.

"Cool! What's that?" asked Hillary excitedly.

"Let's see," said Tristan, as he quickly got out his Pokédex named Dexter, and scanned the Pokémon.

 _"Pidgey: The Tiny Bird Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"This docile Pokémon is the gentlest and the easiest Flying-Type Pokémon to capture. It is the perfect target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer to test his Pokémon's skills."_

"Come on, Tristan!" said Hillary. She wanted to see Tristan catch the Pidgey. "Hurry and grab it! Hurry and grab it!"

"Not so fast, Hillary," said Tristan, stopping her. "I want to see what else Dexter says." He continued looking at the Pokédex.

 _"Pidgey's Gust attack has the capability to create tornadoes,"_ continued Dexter. _"It also has a Sand-Attack."_

"That's why you stopped me?" asked Hillary impatiently. "You wanted to stop me from having fun in the sand?"

"I just didn't want you to get blown away," persisted Tristan. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a Pidgey to catch." He turned to his Pikachu. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard the third time in "Friend and Foe Alike"))_

"Pika!" Pikachu responded, and jumped in front of Tristan, ready to battle.

Tristan had never caught a Pokémon before, but he remembered Professor Oak's advice in his mind.

"Remember to battle wild Pokémon and weaken them before you catch them," he had said. "They'll be much easier to catch when you do."

Tristan then turned his attention to the wild Pidgey. If he was successful, this would be his first Pokémon catch.

Just then, Pidgey flapped its wings and rapidly started kicking up sand in Pikachu's direction. Pidgey was using Sand-Attack.

"Pikachu, jump and use Thundershock!" Tristan ordered.

Pikachu jumped into the air over the flying sand and began gathering the electricity from the sacs in its cheeks. Then it concentrated the electricity into one yellow lightning bolt, and shot it directly at Pidgey. At the last second, however, Pidgey climbed quickly and dodged the attack. It rapidly flapped it wings and shot a huge gust of wind at Tristan, causing him to fall into Hillary. They both collapsed from knocking each other out. Pidgey flew away at the first chance it got.

* * *

"Ow," moaned Tristan and Hillary together as they struggled to their feet sometime later.

"Pika," moaned Pikachu.

The last thing they all remembered was facing that Pidgey in a battle and it totally blew them away.

"That was one gutsy Pidgey," said Hillary. "Boy, was it strong!"

"Well, I like guts, and that would definitely improve my chances at getting stronger, right?" said Tristan. "Having a Pidgey on hand would greatly improve my capabilities as a Trainer. I say we grab it!"

"But we can't just grab Pidgey with out bare hands, Tristan," said Hillary. "It's too risky."

"I'm not saying that we will actually just grab it," replied Tristan. "I'm saying that we need to battle a Pokémon with another Pokémon in order to catch it. I'm sticking with that strategy because I'm either going to catch that Pidgey fair and square or not at all. Come on, Pikachu. Let's go get that Pidgey."

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

"Pika!" said Pikachu in agreement, and they both dashed off to find the Pidgey with Hillary in hot pursuit, but not for long, for just then, that very same Pidgey that blew them away appeared right in their faces. All three friends were taken aback by the sudden appearance of that very same Pidgey.

"What's the idea of sneaking up on us like that, Pidgey?" demanded Tristan.

Pidgey just cooed. Tristan didn't understand what that meant, but knew that he wanted that Pidgey. But before he could issue a Thundershock from Pikachu, Pidgey started pecking the top of Tristan and Hillary's heads, then it focused on Pikachu's head. The pecking felt like a bunch of bee stings.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" shouted Tristan and Hillary as they tried to run away from the repetitive pecking Pidgey was doing.

Now, Tristan was angry. "Pikachu, Thundershock!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu shot a yellow stream of lightning at the Pidgey, but Pidgey climbed quickly, causing Tristan and Hillary to take the shock instead.

"Not us, Pikachu!" shouted Tristan and Hillary as they felt the shocking aftermath of Pikachu's attack.

Pikachu stopped its attack as Tristan and Hillary fell to the ground exhausted from the ordeal. Pidgey laughed and flew away to rest for its next battle. Tristan and Hillary were dazed and confused. Pikachu scratched its head.

"What just happened?" asked Tristan, who was still reeling from the shock.

"I think the Pidgey clipped our wings," said Hillary.

"This is definitely for the birds," added Tristan.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary were thinking of other ideas to try and catch the Pidgey after their last two attempts failed.

"There's got to be something we can do, but what?" said Tristan. "That Pidgey is certainly driving us up a tree."

"Up a tree?" said Hillary. Just then, her face brightened up and she snapped her fingers. "That's it! Tristan, you're a genius!"

"Uh, I am?" said Tristan. He was puzzled at why she said that.

"Yes!" said Hillary. "Follow me!"

She dashed off with Tristan and Pikachu not far behind. Hillary led them to a large tree and instructed them to follow her up.

"Oh, boy," said Tristan, who was rather annoyed. "Me and my big ideas. When I said 'up a tree,' I didn't mean we would CLIMB up a tree.

"Trust me, big bro," said Hillary. "This is our big chance. If we climb this tree and see the Pidgey coming, we can plot a sneak attack on it and..."

"Remember, I want to catch it fair and square," interrupted Tristan.

"I know that," said Hillary, "but if you instruct your Pikachu to use Quick Attack on that Pidgey from above, then you can battle it and catch it. Remember that you're the trainer, and I'm the one giving advice."

"That's a good point," said Tristan.

Just then, the Pidgey flew into view and landed on the ground below. It started pecking at the ground.

"There it is, Tristan," whispered Hillary. "Now's your chance!"

"Right," said Tristan. "Pikachu, Quick Attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

Pikachu dove down on the Pidgey with a white line trailing behind it and scored a direct hit on it, causing it to fall to the ground. But Pidgey quickly got back up just in time to see Tristan and Hillary jump from a high tree branch to the ground and land on their feet.

"Okay, Pidgey, playtime's over!" shouted Tristan. "It's time to catch you once and for all!" He turned to Pikachu. "Go get it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu charged toward Pidgey while Pidgey flew in for a Tackle attack.

"Pikachu, give it a Thundershock!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped out of the way of Pidgey's Tackle attack and shot a yellow stream of electricity toward Pidgey. Pidgey climbed quickly and avoided the attack. Next, Pidgey furiously flapped its wings for a Gust attack. Pikachu found it hard to manage, but hung in there. Tristan and Hillary hung tightly to the tree to avoid getting blown away again. Pidgey kicked up sand for a Sand-Attack and aimed it toward Pikachu. The sand covered its eyes. Pikachu rubbed them to try to get the sand out, but to no avail.

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "How's Pikachu going to aim its Thundershock if it can't see?"

"Pikachu, you can't aim your Thundershock at Pidgey with your eyes!" called Tristan. "Lock into its position by listening for the sound of its wings!"

Pikachu pricked up its ears to try and listen for Pidgey's wings. Pidgey was closing in on Pikachu and was getting ready to finish it off. But when it flapped its wings, Pikachu was able to listen for them, and shot a Thundershock at it, scoring a direct hit in the process. Pidgey fainted on the spot.

"Why did that attack defeat that Pidgey in one hit?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe Dexter knows," replied Tristan. He took out his Pokédex.

 _"Flying-Type Pokémon have a huge disadvantage against Electric attacks,"_ it said.

"That explains why Pikachu's Thundershock attack knocked that Pidgey out in one hit," said Hillary.

"Right," said Tristan. He took a Pokéball out of his pocket and pressed the button, causing it to grow to the size of a baseball. "Pokéball, go!" He threw the Pokéball at the Pidgey.

The ball's button hit Pidgey, causing it to transform into red energy as the ball opened.

Pidgey was pulled inside the ball, which then closed, then landed on the ground. The ball wiggled as the button flashed on and off for a few seconds. Tristan held his breath in suspense while Pikachu stood by, ready to attack again in case the Pidgey broke out.

But fortunately, the light stopped flashing and the ball clicked, signaling to him that the Pidgey had been caught.

"Now that the Pokéball has stopped," said Tristan, as he picked it up and raised it toward the sky, "I caught my very first Pokémon!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" said Pikachu happily.

"Pidgey is the very first Pokémon I ever caught, sis! It can fly, it can battle, and best of all, it's my newest friend!" He held the Pokéball close to Hillary.

"That's nice, but keep it out of my face, okay?" said Hillary.

"Sorry, sis," said Tristan. He put Pidgey's Pokéball inside his pocket. He motioned for Pikachu and Hillary to hurry along with him to Viridian City.

* * *

It was close to dusk when Tristan and Hillary arrived in Viridian City. They had been walking all day and were now looking for a place to spend the night.

"Do you think there's a hotel or something around here?" asked Hillary, feeling rather tired.

"I don't know, sis," said Tristan. "This is the first time we've ever been to a big city. It could be anywhere."

"Pika," agreed Pikachu. It was wondering where it would sleep. This was its very first night with Tristan, its new Trainer.

Suddenly, they came to a large building with a giant letter P on it. It read, "Pokémon Center—Trainers welcome. Rest your tired Pokémon."

"Maybe we can stay here tonight," said Tristan.

"Let's go inside and ask," agreed Hillary, and they both went inside with Pikachu behind them.

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Center (M77B) (as heard in "The Pokémon Water War"))_

A woman with brink pink hair wearing a pink dress and white apron was waiting at the counter. She was wearing a nurse's cap. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center," she said warmly. "My name is Nurse Joy. Whenever you have sick or injured Pokémon, we'll take care of them for you."

"A hospital for Pokémon?" asked Tristan and Hillary.

"That's right, kids," said Nurse Joy. "I help recharge, free of charge!"

"This just keeps getting better and better!" said Tristan. "In that case, could you take care of my two Pokémon for me?"

"I'd be happy to," said Nurse Joy. "In the meantime, why don't I show you around?" She then turned to a pink ovoid Pokémon. It contained a single egg in its pouch. "Chansey, would you take care of this Trainer's two Pokémon?" asked Nurse Joy.

"Chansey!" replied Chansey happily. It took Pidgey's Pokéball and Pikachu and carried them to the examination room.

"Let's call Grandma and Grandpa first," suggested Hillary to Tristan. "I think they should know that we have reached a Pokémon Center."

"Agreed," said Tristan. He went to the video phone and made his phone call.

* * *

"You've made it to Viridian City already?" asked Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother. She seemed pleasantly surprised. "It took your parents several days to get there when they first started their journeys."

"Several days, huh?" said Tristan.

"By the way, dear," said Veronica to Tristan, "which Pokémon did you end up choosing from the three beginning Pokémon?"

"Actually, I ended up choosing Pikachu," replied Tristan.

Veronica seemed surprised. "A Pikachu?" she asked. "A certain trainer said that it was the best of all to choose from. How in the world did you manage that feat?"

"Professor Oak managed to find one, even though they're very hard to come by," said Tristan.

"Interesting," said Veronica. She turned her attention towards Hillary. "Have you been keeping Tristan in line, Hillary?"

"A couple scrapes, but he's fine," replied Hillary.

"Don't you trust me, Hillary?" asked Tristan.

"I trust you one hundred percent…NOT!" said Hillary. Tristan felt insulted by that remark.

"Never mind, you two," Veronica said. "Things will just keep getting better and better for you as your journey progresses."

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

"We'd better get some sleep, sis," said Tristan.

"You're right. We've got a big day ahead, and lots of Pokémon to discover," agreed Hillary.

"I'll let you go for now," said Veronica. "Good night, kids. I love you." The video screen turned off.

Just then, Nurse Joy came out of the examination room. "Thanks for waiting, guys," she said. "I'm happy to report that your Pokémon are restored to full health."

Chansey came out with Pidgey's Pokéball and Pikachu on the stretcher. Pikachu leaped into Tristan's hands.

"Pikachu, you look great, buddy," said Tristan.

"Pika!" Pikachu said. It then yawned, signaling that it was ready for a good night's rest.

"I'll show you to your rooms where Trainers sleep," said Nurse Joy. She motioned for Tristan and Hillary to follow her. She led them down the hall to a bedroom where two pairs of bunk beds and a desk were. The beds had fresh clean sheets.

"Be sure to lock your door every night before you sleep," advised Nurse Joy. "Good night and sleep well." She closed the door.

"You can sleep with me, Pikachu," said Tristan to Pikachu.

Pikachu jumped on Tristan's bed and made itself comfortable.

Hillary turned off the lights and locked the door. She and Tristan tucked themselves into bed and fell fast asleep.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan catches his very first Pokémon, a gutsy little Pidgey. Now he and Hillary have made it to the Pokémon Center. Tomorrow, they will have to face new challenges. What will they be? Their next adventure is only one good night's sleep away, so stay tuned!_

 **►TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. Chapter 4: THE VIRIDIAN FOREST

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 4 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. There's plenty of action in this one, so I hope you enjoy. As always, please review and provide feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have begun their journey to Pewter City so he could try and compete for his first Gym Badge. He catches another Pokémon no thanks to his disobedient Pidgey. But when his canned food gets stolen, a brilliant chef comes to the rescue. Plus, Tristan has a battle with another trainer who happens to live in the Viridian Forest and his newest Pokémon proves its surprising strength against him.**

 **Chapter 4: THE VIRIDIAN FOREST**

 _(Music Cue: Opening and Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After getting a good night's rest, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are ready for more new exciting adventures, but those adventures are a mystery, even to them._

Tristan and Hillary were up with the sun, ate a good breakfast, and were ready to hit the road the next morning. Tristan noticed a poster on the wall. He was interested in the content.

"What are you looking at?" asked Hillary to Tristan.

"It's a poster to join the Pokémon League," he replied. "I'd really like to join and compete in it. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"

"Please," said Hillary. "You don't have half a chance. Besides, how are you supposed to compete with only Pikachu and Pidgey?"

"I'll just catch some more," said Tristan. "I still want to compete in the Pokémon League."

"Did I hear someone say they wanted to compete in the Pokémon League?" Nurse Joy asked. She had heard the conversation.

"I want to join, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. "How do I sign up?"

"Oh, it's easy," said Nurse Joy. "Just come over here for a minute." She motioned for Tristan to follow her to the front desk. "Now I need to see your Pokédex, Tristan," she said.

Tristan handed his Pokédex to Nurse Joy. She pushed a few buttons and scanned the Pokédex. After a few seconds, she handed it back to Tristan.

"Well, you're all set," she said to Tristan. "Now you're ready to challenge the Pokémon League. You'll need eight Gym Badges from eight Gym Leaders to qualify."

"What do I need to do to earn those badges?" asked Tristan.

"Trainers need to battle the Gym Leaders and defeat them in order to earn their Badges," explained Nurse Joy.

"What's the closest Gym from here," asked Tristan to Nurse Joy.

"The Viridian Gym is still being rebuilt after that awful collapse, but by the time you get your seventh Gym Badge, it will be finished. So the closest one is the Gym in Pewter City," she answered.

"That settles it," said Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Are you ready to go to Pewter City?"

"Okay," agreed Hillary.

Tristan then turned to Nurse Joy. "What's the best way to get to Pewter City, Nurse Joy?" he asked her.

"The best way is to go through the deep and dark Viridian Forest," explained Nurse Joy. "Lots of Bug-Type Pokémon live in the forest, including the dangerous Beedrill. So be careful in there."

"We'll get through and get to Pewter City without a sweat!" said Tristan, confidently.

"That's the spirit!" said Nurse Joy.

"I don't know," said Hillary, nervously. "I've heard that Bug-Types are dangerous, especially Beedrill."

"Don't worry, sis," said Tristan. "Pikachu and I will keep them all at bay."

"Good luck on your journey, kids, and be careful out there!" called Nurse Joy as she waved good-bye to Tristan and Hillary. "And remember, you can stop in a Pokémon Center if you run into any trouble!"

"We will, Nurse Joy, and thank you!" called Tristan and Hillary as they set off.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary were excited about their adventures, as they continued on their way. They had to go through Route 2 and the Viridian Forest in order to get there. Just then, they encountered a wormlike Pokémon that was mostly green with a tan underside.

"Cool! What's that?" asked Hillary excitedly.

"I don't know, but I do know that you always like seeing new Pokémon," answered Tristan. "Let's see what the Pokédex says." He scanned the Pokémon.

" _Caterpie: The Worm Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Caterpie uses the suction cups on its feet to climb trees and feed on its favorite leaves. It will use a horrible stink to protect itself from enemies_."

"This Caterpie may be just what we need to repel any bug types that come our way," said Tristan.

Just then, Caterpie started releasing a horrible stink. It seemed angered at the remark that Tristan just made. He, Hillary, and Pikachu all had to cover their noses to keep the stink at bay.

"Way to go, Tristan! Now you've made it mad!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I didn't think Caterpie's feelings would be this sensitive!" said Tristan, as he continued to hold his nose. He suddenly felt inspired. "Now that I've seen what that smell can do, I'm going to catch it! Pidgey, I choose you!" He threw Pidgey's Pokéball.

A white beam of light shot out of it and materialized into a small avian bird with wings and a beak. It didn't seem interested in battling, as it just stood there.

"Okay, Pidgey, we're going to battle and catch this Caterpie, so use your Tackle attack!" instructed Tristan.

Pidgey just stood there, as if nothing was happening.

"Pidgey, I said to use your Tackle attack!" said Tristan, raising his voice.

Pidgey turned away.

"Why aren't you listening to me, Pidgey?" said Tristan.

"That's strange," said Hillary. "I always thought Pokémon would obey every Trainer's orders. Why doesn't this one?"

"I don't know, but now is not the time to wonder about it because Pidgey needs to battle so I can capture this Caterpie!" shouted Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in Shell Shock!"))_

As he spoke, Caterpie charged toward Pidgey with a Tackle attack and successfully landed a clean hit.

"Pidgey, no!" exclaimed Tristan as he caught it in his hands. "Are you okay?" He was starting to regret shouting at it. He was now worried.

Pidgey cooed weakly.

"You'd better rest in your Pokéball, Pidgey," said Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward Pidgey, which then de-materialized into a red beam of energy and disappeared inside. He then sent Pikachu to battle the Caterpie.

"Pikachu, Thunder Wave now!" commanded Tristan.

A thin yellow stream of electricity shot out of Pikachu's cheeks and surrounded Caterpie, paralyzing it on the spot. Caterpie tried as hard as it could to move, but to no avail.

"Now's your chance, Tristan!" shouted Tristan.

"Now, Pikachu, Thundershock attack!" yelled Tristan.

Pikachu shot off its electricity from its cheeks and zapped Caterpie with it. Caterpie fainted.

"Now's the time to catch it," said Tristan. "Pokéball, go!" He threw an empty Pokéball at the Caterpie, which de-materialized into a red beam of light and disappeared inside. The ball wiggled as the button flashed.

But the ball clicked, signaling that the Pokémon had been caught.

 _(Music Cue: Fanfare! Get Pokémon!)_

"Yes!" Tristan shouted. "We caught a Caterpie!" He struck a victory pose.

"Pi-Pikachu!" shouted Pikachu, striking the same pose.

"Don't forget about Pidgey, who, by the way, didn't do anything," reminded Hillary.

"Don't worry, Hillary," assured Tristan. "I'll get Pidgey to listen to me somehow. I need to figure out how to help Pidgey in the meantime because it was beaten by Caterpie. And I'm sure that battle didn't help its confidence much."

* * *

The Viridian Forest was a huge maze of trees and more trees. Tristan's compass didn't work as a result. He and Hillary were still far away from their destination, and they were getting hungry.

"Do you have anything to eat, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I do happen to have canned food," said Tristan. "I have two cans full of it. Maybe we can have it for dinner."

"It doesn't have to be warm, does it?" asked Hillary. "Keep in mind that neither of us knows how to make a campfire."

"I forgot about that," said Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard the first time in "Showdown at Dark City"))_

But just then a purple mouse Pokémon and a curly tail snatched the canned food away from Tristan's hands into its oversized front teeth and started running away with it. Tristan gave chase at once with Hillary not far off.

"Hey, you!" shouted Tristan. "That's our food! Give it back!"

"You have no right to steal that!" added Hillary.

But before Tristan could catch it, he crashed head first right into a big tree while the Pokémon ran safely back in its den underneath. Tristan moaned and held his face in pain.

"That had to hurt," said Hillary.

Tristan just groaned. "Who was that Pokémon anyway?" He took out his Pokédex.

 _"Rattata: The Mouse Pokémon_ ," it said. " _This Pokémon likes cheese, nuts, fruits, and berries. It also comes and steals food from **stupid** Trainers_."

"Watch it, Dexter!" shouted Tristan.

Hillary and Pikachu were trying very hard not to laugh at what the Pokédex just said about him, but they couldn't hold it in and fell down laughing.

Tristan was very angry. "That's not funny!" he shouted. "That Rattata has just made a complete fool out of me and you two start laughing at my expense?!"

"We're sorry, Tristan!" snickered Hillary. "But it's just too hilarious to resist!" She and Pikachu continued laughing.

Tristan just sighed and sat on the ground. "Why? Why me?" he said.

* * *

A little while later, Tristan and Hillary were trying to figure out what to have for dinner after that Rattata took Tristan's canned food.

"That's just great," sighed Tristan. "Now we don't have any food left for dinner tonight."

"Does that mean that we're going to bed hungry tonight?" asked Hillary nervously.

"It sure looks that way," said Tristan sadly.

"Hey, guys!" said a voice. "Maybe I can help out with that."

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

Tristan and Hillary were startled to find another person right behind them. That person had naturally closed eyes and a spiky head of hair.

"Sorry to startle you like that, but I overheard that you guys had only canned soup for dinner," he said. "If you'll allow me to help you, I can cook something really good for you."

"That'd be great!" said Tristan. "Thanks, uh…"

"Let me introduce myself. My name's Brock," the new person said. "I'm training to be the world's greatest Pokémon Breeder."

"It's nice to meet you, Brock," said Tristan. "My name's Tristan."

"Pika-Pikachu," greeted Pikachu.

"And my name's Hillary," she said. "We were on our way to Pewter City so Tristan could compete in his first Gym Battle."

"What a coincidence," said Brock. "I was just on my way there right now to check in on my family. Maybe Tristan and I could face each other for a quick battle at the Gym."

"What does a Pokémon Breeder do, Brock?" asked Tristan.

"A Pokémon Breeder's responsibility is to raise Pokémon for the best possible health and friendship," explained Brock. "I've traveled to a lot of places with two other trainers, Ash and Misty, to learn all about it."

"But why aren't you with them now?" asked Tristan.

"I stayed on Valencia Island for awhile to learn about Pokémon Breeding," said Brock.

"I don't get it, Brock," said Hillary. "Why did you leave Valencia Island?"

"I wanted to start a relationship with Professor Felina Ivy," said Brock. "When Ash, Misty, and I took a trip to the Orange Islands," he began, "we were running a very special errand for Professor Oak. He wanted us to pick up a mysterious Pokéball known as the GS Ball for him."

"What's the GS Ball?" asked Tristan.

"Good question," answered Brock. "Anyway, I always enjoy doing chores, and Professor Ivy was so impressed with my attitude of helping out with the housework and cooking abilities that she invited me to stay with her for awhile so I could learn more about Pokémon Breeding."

"So why are you here instead, Brock?" asked Hillary.

"Well, I suppose I can tell you two why I left Valencia Island," said Brock. "I'll do it as long as you promise not to tell anybody else."

Tristan and Hillary promised.

"Well, it all began just a few days ago," said Brock as he began his story.

* * *

"I was doing my usual morning housework and cooking for Professor Ivy and her assistants, who are triplets. Their names are Charity, Hope, and Faith, and they all wear glasses. They seemed to be very pleased with my work. One of my favorite things to cook is oatmeal, which was exactly what I was cooking that morning. The only trouble was that I spent so many of my waking hours with Professor Ivy during the day that I forgot to set a reasonable bedtime and get a reasonable amount of sleep each night. I don't know whether I forgot to add the proper ingredients or whether I just added the wrong ones. Either way, it just happened so quickly.

""There isn't enough milk!" said Charity.

""There's too much sugar!' put in Hope.

""This oatmeal is terrible three times over!" finished Faith.

""I'm surprised you'd say that,' Professor Ivy replied to them. 'Let me taste it.' Then she took a spoonful of oatmeal and tasted it herself. 'It is a little less than Brock's standards. I wonder if Brock has been working too hard,' she said. But she noticed that I had heard everything and rushed over with the milk and cereal to make the adjustments to the oatmeal when suddenly, I tripped on the floor! I fell and spilled the milk and cereal everywhere!

"That was when somebody else rushed in. His name happened to be Professor Palm, and he happened to be dropping by when he heard the crash. He offered to help clean up the mess and recook the oatmeal that I had spilled for the assistants. Talk about embarrassment.

"That wasn't the worst part of it," Brock continued. "Professor Palm did an ever better job of cooking breakfast than I did that day. He did such a good job that Professor Ivy took me aside in private.

""I appreciate what you've done for my assistants so much, Brock,' she said to me, 'but I think you're better suited to continuing your journey with Ash and Misty. I think it's best that you go back to Pallet Town and wait for them. Go on, Brock, you might as well do it now while you're young."

""But wait, Professor Ivy!" I told her. "I didn't mean to make that mess!""

""And you'll have plenty of time to make even more messes,' she smiled. 'It's time you got going. I'll prepare a ship for you.'"

"I had never been that crushed before in my life," sobbed Brock. "I had the perfect chance to start a relationship with her and I blew it! Now I'll never know true happiness!

"Anyway, Professor Ivy prepared a ship to sail on. It wasn't a cruise ship, but it was just as peaceful. I turned away from Professor Ivy even though she wanted to wave goodbye to me. As soon as the island was out of sight, I wanted to start from zero just before I ever came to Valencia Island.

* * *

"Wow, Brock," said Tristan. "I never thought you'd be the one spilling oatmeal."

"So that's how I returned to the mainland. Afterwards, I decided that I wouldn't allow anyone to mention Professor Ivy's name starting right now. Whenever that happens, I will shiver and be depressed for the rest of my life! So don't mention that name!"

"But I'm sure that Professor Ivy…" Tristan began.

"I said don't mention that name!" insisted Brock as he rolled into a ball.

"All right, I won't," said Tristan.

Hillary tried to cheer Brock up. "I'm sure you must have had a fun time with Professor…"

"Shhhh!" said Tristan to Hillary. "Don't mention that name!"

"I was just trying to help," said Hillary. "But I just wanted to know if the profess…"

"So, Brock," interrupted Tristan, who wanted to change the subject, "let's have dinner!"

"I'm open to that suggestion," agreed Brock. "I have hot soup and Pokémon food that you're just going to love," but it's going to take awhile to cook."

Tristan and Hillary's stomachs rumbled. Brock could tell that they were very hungry. But just then, a Bug Catcher showed up and leaped in front of them with a sword.

"Pardon me, but weren't you three coming from Viridian City?" he said. "Which one of you would like to battle me for victory?

"I would!" said Tristan excitedly. "If I'm going to be a Champion someday, then I have to accept the challenge!"

"You seem awful chipper for someone who is about to lose!" said the Bug Catcher. "My name's Samurai, and here's my first Pokémon!" He threw a Pokéball. A bright white beam of light shot out and materialized into what appeared to be a green chrysalis. Quickly, Tristan took out his Pokédex and scanned it.

" _Metapod: The Cocoon Pokémon: The evolved form of Caterpie_ ," it said. " _Metapod has encased its body in a hard shell, which protects it while waiting for its next evolution_."

"I'll be the judge of this match," said Brock. "Each Trainer will use two Pokémon."

Tristan thought fast. If Metapod was the evolved form of Caterpie, and it was a Bug-Type Pokémon, his ideal choice would be Pidgey; however, it was too disobedient to obey his commands, and it needed a good rest.

"Caterpie, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw Caterpie's Pokéball. A bright white light shot out of it and materialized. This was Caterpie's first battle, but Tristan was feeling confident on what it could do. Besides, it needed the battling experience to get stronger. Pikachu was rooting for Caterpie, too.

"Let the battle begin!" declared Brock as Tristan and Samurai faced off.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Caterpie, Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan. Caterpie charged toward Metapod, but Samurai was ready for it.

"Metapod, Harden!" instructed Samurai. Metapod tensed up and flashed white. Then its body turned as hard as steel. When Caterpie made contact, it bounced off. Caterpie seemed to take some damage from the hardened Metapod.

"Are you okay, Caterpie?" asked Tristan.

Caterpie was a bit shaken, but it shook off the damage and was ready to go once again.

"That's the spirit, Caterpie!" said Tristan. He was feeling very energized by the battle. Then he instructed Caterpie to Tackle Metapod again.

"Metapod, Harden again!" instructed Samurai. Again, Metapod's body turned as hard as steel. Caterpie kept tackling Metapod again and again, but Metapod just kept hardening up to increase its defense, making it seemingly impossible to do any damage to it. It was clear that Caterpie was breathing hard and getting very tired while Metapod seemed just fine. However, Metapod didn't use any offensive attacks since the battle began, so in a sense, it was a lucky break for Tristan.

 _"I need to think of some way to slow that Metapod down, but what?"_ thought Tristan as he was now getting concerned about Caterpie. It wouldn't be able to battle much longer as long as it kept hitting Metapod's hardening body. He thought about what could slow opponents down. When he was younger, he used to play with glue and string under his grandmother's supervision. He thought about the glue and combined it with the string to make it even stickier. Suddenly, he thought of just the attack that would tip the battle in his favor.

"Caterpie, String Shot now!" yelled Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Get Pokémon!)_

A white sticky silky string rapidly shot out of Caterpie's mouth toward Metapod. Metapod was stuck and was going nowhere.

"Metapod, get yourself free!" shouted Samurai. But it was no use. Struggling only seemed to make the string tie tighter around Metapod.

"Now, Caterpie, Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

This time, Caterpie charged towards Metapod at full power. Caterpie made contact with Metapod so hard and so fast that Metapod flew and crashed into a nearby tree. The Pokémon fainted.

"Metapod is unable to battle! Caterpie wins!" declared Brock.

"Caterpie did it!" said Hillary excitedly. "I was getting nervous for awhile.

"Good job, Caterpie," said Tristan. "I'm proud of you."

Samurai seemed to be impressed. "It seems like you raised that Caterpie extremely well, young Trainer," he said. "I don't know how you managed to beat my Metapod, but you did it anyway."

"Actually, Samurai," said Tristan, smiling nervously, "this was Caterpie's first battle. It needed the experience."

Suddenly, Caterpie was bathed in a bright white light.

Tristan was surprised. "What's going on with Caterpie?" he asked.

"Caterpie is starting to evolve!" said Brock, who was just as awestruck as everybody else.

"Wow! Let me see!" said Hillary, who wanted to see it too.

Caterpie slowly changed shape as it evolved. When the light stopped, it had taken on the shape of a chrysalis. Tristan's Caterpie had just evolved into a Metapod, and it had newfound strength for the next battle.

"I don't believe it," said Tristan, who was clearly awestruck. "Awesome!"

"Let's get back to the battle, young Trainer," Samurai advised.

"I'm ready to go and so is my newly evolved Metapod," said Tristan eagerly.

"Let's go, Pinsir!" shouted Samurai as he threw his second Pokéball.

A white beam of light shot out of it and materialized into a bipedal wide dull brown figure with a pair of gray spiky pincers on top of its head.

"Whoa, that's big!" said Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Pinsir: The Stag Beetle Pokémon,"_ it said. _"This Pokémon uses its powefrul claws to put the squeeze on its opponents."_

"Be careful, Metapod," advised Tristan to Metapod. "There's no telling how sharp those claws are.

"Metapod," it replied as it prepared for battle.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Tentacool and Tentacruel"))_

"Okay, Pinsir, Tackle attack!" ordered Samurai.

"Metapod, use your Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

Both Pokémon charged toward each other at full speed. Pinsir's immense body proved to be immense for Metapod, who was shaken by the contact, but still in the battle.

"Hang in there, Metapod. You can do it, buddy," encouraged Tristan.

Hillary was confused about encouraging Pokémon to do their best, so she figured Brock would know the answer. "What good can encouragement do?" she asked him.

"Just watch," said Brock. "Encouraging a Pokémon to never give up is something my friend Ash does every time he battles. That helps any Trainer's Pokémon do better in battle."

"Pinsir, ViceGrip!" shouted Samurai.

Pinsir charged toward Metapod, but this time, its pincers were poised to grab Metapod.

"Quick, Metapod! Harden now!" ordered Tristan.

Metapod quickly tensed up while its body turned harder than steel. Pinsir grabbed Metapod, but Metapod seemed unfazed by the pincers. Try as it may, Pinsir couldn't seem to damage Metapod's hard shell. As a result, Pinsir's pincers were cracked.

"Yes! Go for it, Tristan!" Hillary cheered.

"Metapod, Tackle attack!" yelled Tristan.

Metapod charged into Pinsir with all its might and scored a direct hit so strong that it knocked Pinsir out.

"Pinsir is unable to battle! Metapod wins and the winner is Tristan!" declared Brock.

"Way to go, Metapod!" said Tristan. Then he turned to Samurai. "Is your Pinsir okay?"

"It just needs to rest for awhile and it will be fine," replied Samurai. "That Metapod of yours is strong, though. I obviously need to train more."

"Aw, shucks, Samurai," said Tristan, who was being modest. "I just started on my journey yesterday."

Just then, a kitchen timer rang.

"Dinner's ready!" called Brock.

"All right!" said Tristan. "There's nothing like a good battle to work up an appetite." Then he turned to Samurai. "Do you want to join us for dinner, Samurai?"

"I'd like that," he replied as he joined the others for dinner.

Tristan invited Pikachu, Metapod, and Pidgey to join in as well.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued (as heard in "Make Room for Gloom"))_

Tristan, Samurai, their Pokémon, and Hillary enjoyed Brock's cooking. They all agreed that it tasted just as good as the food in good quality restaurants if not better.

"It's too bad that you have to go back to Pallet Town and wait for Ash soon, Brock," said Tristan. "Hillary and I probably won't get another good meal for awhile."

"Don't worry, guys. We'll meet again," said Brock. "And besides, I'm sure you can find good quality food if you know where to look for it."

"Thank you very much, Brock," said Samurai. "By the way, if you do see Ash again, could you tell him that I said hello?"

"I'll do that," said Brock.

After dinner, Samurai left the others for his cabin while Tristan, Hillary, and Brock got into their sleeping bags to get some sleep.

* * *

 _So, Tristan and Hillary's new friend Brock comes to their rescue. Now there'll be extra excitement as they prepare to embark for Pewter City and Tristan's first Gym Battle. What will it be like? You'll have to stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	5. Chapter 5: OUT OF THE FOREST

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 5 of the adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. This one is a little shorter than some of my other chapters, but this one has plenty of action in it. There will be longer chapters in this story as it goes. As always, please review and leave any feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have met up with Brock, and are on their way to Pewter City. After avoiding a sting of defeat, will Tristan be able to avoid another one from his archrival, Blue?**

 **Chapter 5: OUT OF THE FOREST**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon)_

 _Our heroes, along with their new friend, Brock, are getting ready to face another day on the road, as they continue on to Pewter City and Tristan's very first Gym Battle._

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and their new friend, Brock, woke up and had breakfast before continuing their way through the Viridian Forest. Brock was headed toward Pewter City just as Tristan and Hillary were, and so they made plans to hold Tristan's first Gym Battle there.

Just then they saw a little brown larva Pokémon with a venomous stinger on its head and a barbed one on its tail. Tristan scanned it with his Pokédex, named Dexter.

" _Weedle: The Hairy Bug Pokémon_ ," it said. " _The stinger on this Pokémon's head guarantees that its opponents will get the point right where it hurts_."

 _(Music Cue: A Creeping Threat)_

"We'd better be careful, guys," advised Brock. "Weedle can be very dangerous, especially if they're near any nests."

"What do you mean by 'nests?'" asked Hillary, trembling. As she spoke, she saw some yellow cocoon Pokémon with dome shaped heads and black triangular eyes.

"Are those...?" Tristan asked as he scanned them with his Pokédex.

" _Kakuna: The Cocoon Pokémon: The evolved form of Weedle_ ," it said. " _Kakuna remains inactive until its next evolution_."

"Let's just be quiet and sneak past them," whispered Hillary. "And let's hope that they never evolve."

"That's not going to happen, I'm afraid," replied Brock. "Once Weedle evolve into Kakuna, they wait until their next evolution. And when that happens, they attack nearby enemies. But you're right on wanting to get past them as quickly and quietly as possible."

"I'd hate to think what would happen if those things evolved right now," said Tristan nervously.

Just as he said that, the Kakuna began glowing in a bright white light. They were all starting to evolve. Tristan and the others cringed in fear.

"Me and my big mouth!" he exclaimed quietly as the Kakuna evolved into what appeared to be bipedal yellow wasps with large red eyes. Tristan scanned the new creatures with his Pokédex.

" _Beedrill: The Poison Bee Pokémon: The evolved form of Kakuna_ ," it said. " _Beedrill has three poisonous stingers on its forelegs and tail. They are used to jab its enemies repeatedly_."

"This is bad!" said Brock. "This must be the time of year when all the Beedrill in the Viridian Forest evolve! And you know what happens when that happens!"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Tracey Gets Bugged"))_

"RUN!" yelled Tristan as he, Hillary, Brock, and Pikachu ran as fast as they could through the winding maze of the Viridian Forest with the Beedrill flying in hot pursuit. The fleeing friends continued to flee until they came to a dead end.

"We're trapped like Rattata!" shouted Brock.

"Speak for yourself!" added Hillary.

Tristan and the others braced for the inevitable sting from the charging Beedrill, but he quickly ordered Pikachu to hit them with a Thundershock.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

A large yellow lightning bolt shot from Pikachu's body and zapped the Beedrill in one shot. They turned around and flew back to their nest in the opposite direction.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close. Thanks, Tristan," said Hillary.

"Don't thank me, sis. Thank Pikachu," said Tristan. He turned to Pikachu. "As for you, Pikachu, thanks a lot."

"Pikachu!" it replied happily.

"Pikachu seems like it's been trained well, even after your first few days," remarked Brock. "Now that that's done, let's see if we can get out of here."

* * *

Tristan and the others found their way out of the Viridian Forest and away from the Beedrill an hour or two later. They found themselves on the northern end of Route 2. They were just about to go further when suddenly…

"Hey, Tristan!"

Tristan turned around to see that the voice who called his name belonged to Blue, Tristan's archrival. He looked similar to Gary, but was slightly younger.

"Why are you stopping us, Blue?" Tristan asked him.

"Are you going to the Pokémon League? Forget it! You probably don't have any Badges!" he taunted.

"I just started, Blue, and so did you!" countered Tristan.

"Have you at least gotten any stronger?" asked Blue as he threw his first Pokéball.

A white light shot out of it and materialized into a small avian Pokémon with three brown tail feathers and pinkish red feathers on its wings.

"That's a Spearow!" exclaimed Brock.

"Spearow?" asked Tristan as he got his Pokédex out and scanned Blue's newest Pokémon.

" _Spearow: The Tiny Bird Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Spearow has a terrible attitude. It is very wild and can fly around very fast to protect its territory_."

"I hope you know what you're up against, Tristan," said Hillary nervously.

"Relax, Hillary," said Tristan. "I know what I'm doing. As you know, Electric-Type Pokémon have the advantage against Flying-Types like Spearow, so I choose Pikachu!"

Pikachu leaped in front of Tristan, ready to battle against Spearow.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Okay, Spearow, use Peck attack!" commanded Blue.

Spearow charged at Pikachu and pecked it repeatedly with its beak.

Pikachu endured peck after peck after peck. Even though Pikachu had the type advantage, Spearow seemed to be powerful enough thanks to its beak.

Tristan had to think of something fast. "Hang in there, Pikachu! Thundershock!"

Pikachu's electricity sparked from its cheeks, then it shot a lightning bolt from its body toward Spearow. But at the last second, Spearow dodged the attack.

"Spearow, Leer attack!" shouted Blue.

Spearow's eyes glowed red and it gave Pikachu an intimidating glare.

"Now use your Peck attack again!" commanded Blue.

Spearow's Peck attacks seemed to be more powerful thanks to its Leer attack. Pikachu was taking on more and more damage.

"That Spearow seems to be well trained," Tristan said to himself. "However, there's no way I'm going to lose that easily." He then told Pikachu to give Spearow a Thunder Wave. Pikachu sent out a weaker stream of electricity from its cheeks around Spearow, giving it paralysis. It couldn't move.

"Not bad, Tristan," said Blue.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!" shouted Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" A bolt of electricity shot out of its body.

Spearow got zapped from the attack and fainted.

"Spearow, return!" commanded Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward Spearow.

A red beam shot out of the ball and formed around Spearow, which de-materialized into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"That was a shocking ending to that part of the battle," joked Hillary.

"Very funny, sis," said Tristan, who was being very sarcastic. He cringed at that joke. He then faced Blue and said, "Okay, Blue, I'm ready for round two."

"Let's go, Eevee!" shouted Blue as he threw his second Pokéball.

A bright white light shot out of it and materialized into what looked like a mammalian quadruped fox with a bushy tail.

Tristan remembered his last battle with Eevee, and it almost defeated Pikachu, but thanks to Pikachu's powerful Thundershock attack, he had emerged victorious in his first battle. However, this time, Pikachu was getting worn out from its battle with Spearow, and Tristan wasn't sure if it could defeat Eevee a second time.

"Pikachu, come back over here, buddy!" called Tristan as Pikachu came back to his side for a well-deserved rest. He decided to choose Pidgey for his next Pokémon and threw its Pokéball, even though last time it was totally disobedient.

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

A bright white light came out of it and materialized into what looked like a small plump bodied bird.

However, Pidgey just stood there, preening its feathers, totally uninterested in battling.

"Come on, Pidgey," begged Tristan. "I need your help!"

"Ha!" laughed Blue. "Do you honestly think that you can defeat my Eevee with that thing? It doesn't do a thing you say!"

"We'll see about that!" countered Tristan. "Pidgey, Tackle now!"

But Pidgey wouldn't comply.

"Told you!" taunted Blue. "Eevee, let's show them who is better at obeying orders. Use your Sand-Attack!"

Eevee quickly turned around and used its hind legs to kick dirt toward Pidgey.

"Look out, Pidgey!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgey evaded the attack just in time. Would it obey Tristan now?

"Use your Tackle attack, Pidgey!" ordered Tristan.

This time, Pidgey flew toward Eevee and did some damage to it. However, Eevee recovered and waited for its next command.

"Lucky break, Tristan," said Blue, "but not lucky enough. Eevee, Tackle attack!"

This time, Eevee did a full body charge toward Pidgey, which dodged the attack just in time.

"Pidgey, Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgey did a full body charge and used Tackle instead! Still, it managed to make contact with Eevee again.

"That was a nice hit, Pidgey, but I told you to use Quick Attack," said Tristan.

Pidgey just turned away from Tristan. It clearly wasn't interested in what he was saying.

"Eevee, Tackle attack now!" ordered Blue.

Eevee charged at Pidgey to finish it off, but at the last second...

"Pidgey, return!" commanded Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button towards Pidgey.

A red beam shot out of it and surrounded Pidgey, which de-materialized into a red energy field and disappeared inside just in time.

"Hmph! grumbled Blue. "I guess retreating's better than losing."

Tristan then held the Pokéball close to him as if he were talking to it. "I really wish you'd listen to me, but I appreciate what you've done," he said. "Your part won't go to waste."

"It looks like Tristan has a disobedient Pidgey," said Brock. "This is just like Ash, who has a disobedient Charizard."

"Wow," said Hillary. "Does that mean that at least one Pokémon on one person's team will always be disobedient?"

"Not necessarily," Brock replied. "Trainers and Pokémon need to understand one another. I'm sure that if Tristan and Pidgey listen to one another, they will be battling side by side in no time."

"Metapod, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw its Pokéball.

A bright white light shot out and materialized into what appeared to be a green chrysalis. It looked very confident.

"Metapod, use your Tackle attack now!" commanded Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble"))_

Metapod charged straight toward Eevee, but Eevee held its ground as it waited for the next order from Blue.

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!" ordered Blue.

That was the signal Eevee was waiting for. When Metapod got close, Eevee once again turned around and threw sand, this time at Metapod, using its hind legs. The sand flew right into Metapod's eyes, which were completely covered.

"Not good," said Tristan. "Metapod can't see."

"Eevee, Tackle again!" yelled Blue. Eevee sprinted forward toward Metapod.

"Metapod, Harden!" shouted Tristan.

Metapod's body flashed white, and then turned as hard as steel.

Eevee rammed into Metapod, but Metapod didn't seem to get hurt too much. Eevee still looked ready for battle, though.

"Metapod may not be able to see because of the sand, but it can still use attacks like Harden to defend itself," said Brock.

"I hope Metapod can hang in there and defeat that Eevee," said Hillary nervously.

"Yeah," agreed Brock. "That Eevee looks like it's been well trained and seems to be ready for any attack Tristan throws its way."

"Metapod, Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Metapod sprung forward, but headed in the wrong direction. It crashed into the ground, completely missing its mark. Again and again, it charged, but Eevee just kept standing there, and even on occasion when Metapod went in the right direction, it still couldn't see, and Eevee got out of the way just in time every time.

"Listen, Metapod, you have to stay calm!" advised Tristan.

But Metapod just kept charging at Eevee to no avail. It was starting to panic because it couldn't see. It really couldn't stay in one place because it was moving around so much while trying to avoid Eevee's attacks.

Blue decided that he had had enough with this dance. "Eevee, it's time to use your Tackle attack at full power now!" he shouted.

Eevee charged toward Metapod at full speed as Metapod desperately tried to see where it was going.

"Metapod, behind you!" exclaimed Tristan.

But Eevee was going so fast that it was too late for Metapod to dodge the attack. Eevee hit Metapod so hard that it flew right into a nearby rock, which cracked its shell.

"Metapod, NOOOO!" yelled Tristan.

Metapod lay motionless next to the rock as Blue just stood there, feeling arrogant.

Hillary and Brock watched with worry.

"Looks like I win this time around, pal," snickered Blue.

Suddenly, Metapod started to glow in a bright white light. This meant only one thing.

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fit to Be Tide"))_

"Is Metapod evolving?" Hillary wondered.

"It is!" gasped Brock.

Tristan watched in amazement as Metapod transformed into what appeared to be a butterfly with a purple body and two red compound eyes.

"No way!" exclaimed Blue.

"It's so beautiful!" said Tristan as he got his Pokédex out to scan the new Pokémon.

" _Butterfree: The Butterfly Pokémon: The evolved form of Metapod_ ," it said. " _Butterfree's wings, which are covered with poisonous powders repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain_."

"Awesome!" said Tristan. He turned to Butterfree. "Okay, Butterfree, are you ready to show Blue and Eevee your new strength?"

Butterfree nodded. Then its eyes began to glow in a purple color. As they did, Eevee was outlined in that same color and was lifted into the air.

No matter how much it struggled, Eevee couldn't break free from Butterfree's grip.

"What's happening with Eevee?!" exclaimed Blue, who was now getting nervous.

"Hey, I think Butterfree just learned how to use its Confusion attack!" said Brock excitedly.

"Cool!" said Tristan. He turned to Butterfree and said, "All right, Butterfree, Confusion!"

Butterfree turned its head from side to side. As it did, Eevee's body moved along with it. Next Butterfree moved its head up and down.

Eevee's body was tossed to and from the ground again and again. Then with one final forward thrust of its head, Butterfree caused Eevee to fly right past Blue and crash into a tree right behind him.

"Eevee!" exclaimed Blue as it fainted. He returned Eevee to its Pokéball.

"Is your Eevee okay?" asked Tristan.

"Yeah, it just needs a good rest," replied Blue. "But as for you, you just lucked out."

"Well, you may be right since Butterfree evolved during the battle," admitted Tristan. "But I try to gain knowledge and interpret it into my battles."

"Well, I heard the Pokémon League is full of many tough Trainers," explained Blue. "You should quit dawdling and get a move on!"

"But I wasn't dawdling!" retorted Tristan, who was raising his voice. "I was just getting out of the Viridian Forest! Did you not see the dangerous experience we just had with those Beedrill?!"

"Whatever," said Blue. "Anyway, I have to get going." He left Tristan and the others behind and headed off for his next destination.

"That Butterfree of yours is amazing!" said Brock.

"Beautiful!" added Hillary.

"And strong, too," finished Tristan.

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu.

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued (sample)_

Tristan turned to Butterfree. "As for you, Butterfree," he said to it, "you were just awesome."

Butterfree replied happily.

* * *

 _Now, with a newly evolved Butterfree on his side, Tristan feels more determined than ever to get to Pewter City and his first Gym Battle._

 **►TO BE CONTINUED**


	6. Chapter 6: TRISTAN'S FIRST GYM BATTLE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 6 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary and Pikachu. They finally make it to Pewter City for Tristan's first Gym Battle. There's plenty of action in this chapter, plus a lesson to be learned in friendship between Trainers and Pokémon. As always, please feel free to leave any and all feedback and enjoy!**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and their friend, Brock, have finally made it to Pewter City. Will Tristan have what it takes to win his first Gym Badge?**

 **Chapter 6: TRISTAN'S FIRST GYM BATTLE**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City M18A)_

 _Pewter City: A Stone-Gray city, covered in what else—stone. Located in the northwest part of Kanto, it is surrounded by cliff faces. The city's main attractions were the Pewter Museum of Science and the Pewter City Gym, which is where Tristan hopes to earn his very first Gym Badge. A personal attraction is Brock's house, which is his main attraction._

Tristan, Hillary, and Brock made good time and made it to Pewter City during the mid-afternoon hours.

"Let's go to the Gym right away!" said Tristan and started to run as fast as he could, but Brock stopped him.

"Wait! You shouldn't rush these things," advised Brock.

"He's right," added Hillary. "Don't you need to do something first? Like heal your Pokémon? You want to be a Champion, don't you?"

"Oh, that's right," said Tristan. He realized that the health of his Pokémon came first. His Pokémon had just been involved in a heated, but difficult, battle against Blue, who had used a Spearow and an Eevee. They also managed to escape from a horde of angry Beedrill thanks to Pikachu's Thundershock. "All right, let's go."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Center M77A)_

They stopped off at a Pokémon Center where they greeted Nurse Joy.

"Hi, Nurse Joy!" said Tristan excitedly. "Do you remember us? You let us stay over at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City."

"That was so nice of you," added Hillary.

"I'm very sorry, but I don't know any of you," she replied. "You must have been thinking of my younger sister."

"You have a younger sister?" asked Hillary.

"That's right," said Nurse Joy. "I happen to be a part of the Joy family in this picture." She showed Tristan and Hillary a photo where a bunch of Nurse Joys were standing in front of the very Pokémon Center they were visiting.

"Well, when you've seen one Nurse Joy, you've seen them all," said Tristan.

"That's only partially true," smiled Brock. "This Nurse Joy happens to be the oldest of the Kanto Nurse Joy clan."

"You can tell them apart, Brock?" asked Hillary, who by this time was very surprised.

"See for yourself by the color of the plus on their nursing caps," he said as he showed Tristan and Hillary the photo a little more closely.

They were surprised to see that he was right.

Then Brock turned around and started flirting with Nurse Joy. "What a beautiful place for a beautiful Nurse Joy!" he said with delight. "I think you're the wisest of them all. But since you're the wisest and most beautiful of all the Nurse Joys I've met, I was hoping that you would be interested in a lovely dinner for two tonight at my place? Of course, dinner will be on me since I can cook. Just say the word and I'll get started right away."

"Um," said Nurse Joy nervously. She never expected anyone to be charmed by her beauty the way Brock was. Tristan and Hillary were clueless.

"What's going on with Brock?" asked Tristan.

"Beats me," answered Hillary.

"Pika," agreed Pikachu.

* * *

Tristan had his Pokémon rest at the Pokémon Center before he and the others headed out.

Of course, Brock had to be dragged away in order for that to happen. Nevertheless, he was happy to give them the grand tour of the city. He showed them around the Pewter Museum of Science, which contained historical artifacts like ancient Pokémon fossils.

Tristan and Hillary were most impressed.

"Did these Pokémon really live in the ancient past?" asked Tristan curiously.

"Yes, they did," answered Brock. "In fact, some people say that they have seen real live extinct Pokémon living right before their eyes."

"If that's true, I'd like to meet at least one," said Hillary.

"I want to meet them all," added Tristan.

"We may all get that chance one of these days," said Brock to the others. "There are still Pokémon that even I haven't seen yet."

Just then an announcement came up over the public address system: "The Pewter Museum of Science will close in ten minutes. Repeat: The Pewter Museum of Science will close in ten minutes. Thank you for visiting us today."

"I guess we'd better get going to my place," said Brock. "I'll see what my other siblings are up to."

"I'm up for it," said Tristan.

"Me, too," said Hillary.

"Why don't we have our Gym Battle tomorrow?" suggested Brock. "It's getting late, and besides, I want to make sure that my Pokémon are in tip top shape, too."

"It's a deal, Brock," said Tristan as he and the others made their way to Brock's residence.

* * *

Brock's brothers and sisters were waiting for his return. They were happy when the door opened and Brock stepped in.

"Hey, it's Brock!" they all said at once. They were obviously very happy to see him.

"Hey, guys!" he replied. "It's great to see you!" He introduced Tristan and Hillary to them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," said Tristan. But then he noticed that they all wanted to take a turn holding Pikachu.

One of Brock's siblings was squeezing Pikachu's cheeks while another was playing with its ears.

The stress level on Pikachu was rising, and so were the electricity levels on its cheeks.

Tristan had to rush in there and grab Pikachu in order to prevent Brock's siblings from getting shocked, and did so just in time, but not before getting zapped himself. Tristan collapsed on the floor.

"Are you all right, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Say something!" said Brock worriedly.

"Bad idea," said Tristan, who was feeling rather stunned.

Pikachu apologized and scratched its head.

* * *

After everyone recovered from that fiasco, Brock decided to fix dinner for the entire family. In the meantime, Tristan wanted to learn more about Brock's family. He was especially interested in one of Brock's younger brothers, who was named Forrest.

"I want to be a Pokémon trainer just like you are, Tristan," he said to him. "I know you just started, but can you tell me what you learned on your journey so far?"

 _(Music Cue: Reunion)_

"Well, Forrest," said Tristan, "I know Electric Pokémon like Pikachu have the advantage over flying types like Pidgey and Spearow. And when some Pokémon gain enough experience in battling, they will evolve into stronger creatures."

"That's cool, Tristan," said Forrest. "It's just that I don't have any Pokémon and I want to battle just like you do."

"I know how you feel, Forrest," said Hillary. "I don't have any Pokémon yet either. I'm travelling with Tristan so I could learn from him. Right now, he's preparing for his first Gym Battle."

"Brock is going to be really tough to beat," said Forrest. "I'll be watching the battle closely so I can figure out what to do."

"Food's ready, everyone!" called Brock from the kitchen.

"Yeah, let's eat!" everyone said as they rushed to the table. Just then, an older person walked in the door.

"Am I too late to help with dinner?" he asked.

"Hi, Dad," said Brock. "Did you deal with tough challengers today?"

"No, I was just helping to clean up the gym," his dad replied. "By the way, what are you doing off of Valencia Island, son? I thought you were helping Professor Ivy out."

Brock groaned and turned blue. "Don't mention that name!" he mused as he sank to the ground.

"Was it something I said, son?" said his father.

"You really don't want to go there," said Hillary. "By the way, who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Flint," he said. "I've been running the Gym ever since Brock started journeying with Ash."

Hillary and Tristan introduced themselves to Flint and joined the others for one of Brock's specialty dinners. They thought this dinner was more delicious than the one the night before. Just as Tristan enjoyed the taste of dinner, he was looking forward to the taste of sweet victory in his upcoming Gym Battle.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen (as heard the second time in "Pokémon Emergency!"))_

Tristan and Pikachu were up with the sun the next morning preparing for the Gym Battle against Brock. He was a little nervous about how he would fare, so he decided to go out for a run around the city to calm his nerves with Pikachu not far behind. Tristan did a little research about how Pokémon Trainers kept in shape the night before. He found out that they worked out to the max every single day, especially before important battles. So he decided to put it into his daily regimen. He knew that becoming a champion wouldn't be easy.

After Tristan and Pikachu finished working out, they came to the Pewter City Gym. Brock and Hillary were waiting for them.

"You're looking good, you two," complimented Brock. "Did you guys just finish your run?"

"Yes we did," answered Tristan. "Pikachu and I are ready to go."

"No wonder I didn't see you when I woke up," said Hillary. "You didn't even eat breakfast. Luckily for you, I brought you some toast and juice." She brought two pieces of toast and two glasses of juice to Tristan and Pikachu; one for each of them. They were made by Brock himself.

"Thanks, Hillary. You're the best," said Tristan as he quickly ate his breakfast and shared his half with Pikachu.

"Don't forget to thank Brock as well," added Hillary.

* * *

The battlefield in the Pewter Gym resembled a rocky terrain. Tristan and Brock took their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield. Forrest came and watched the battle from the bleachers with Hillary. Brock's other siblings joined them. Flint had a red flag in one hand and a green one in another. He explained the rules of the match.

"The Pewter City Gym Battle between Brock the Gym Leader and Tristan the challenger will now begin!" he declared. "Each side will use two Pokémon. The battle will be over when both Pokémon on either side are unable to battle. In addition, only the challenger will be allowed to make substitutions."

"That should give Tristan an edge in some respect," said Hillary. "But I wonder what Brock will choose. I haven't seen any of his Pokémon before."

"Just wait and see," replied Forrest. "I have a feeling Brock's Pokémon are going to rock his world."

Rock, indeed, for Brock sent out his first Pokémon, which resembled a rock hard gray head with two rocky arms with bulgy muscles like a strong man.

It levitated just above the ground.

Tristan knew that Pokémon was a tough one by the way it looked. He scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Geodude: The Rock Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Geodude is found near rocky mountain trails. If this Pokémon is stepped on, it will get angry_."

"I wouldn't want to step on one on a bad day," said Tristan. "All right, I've made my choice. Pikachu, go!"

Brock was shocked at the decision. "Are you sure you want to go with Pikachu, Tristan?" he asked.

"I'm positive," replied Tristan. "Pikachu's ready for action."

"Pika!" agreed Pikachu. It jumped into position in front of Tristan and prepared for battle.

"Let the battle begin!" declared Flint raising both flags in the air, signaling that the match was on.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble")))_

"Pikachu, let's hit if off right with a Thundershock!" instructed Tristan.

Yellow sparks sizzled out of Pikachu's cheeks then it concentrated the electricity into a lightning bolt which shot out of its body. The attack struck Geodude head on.

"Yes! That was a direct hit!" said Tristan.

However, Geodude wasn't fazed by the attack. It just floated there.

Tristan was shocked, but little did he know that Electric-Type attacks never did any damage to Pokémon like Geodude.

"Come on, Pikachu, try another Thundershock!" instructed Tristan.

Again, Pikachu's sparks sizzled out of its cheeks and concentrated it into a lightning bolt, which struck Geodude, but with the same results.

"Hey, what's up?" asked Tristan. "Why isn't Thundershock working?"

"You don't get it yet, Tristan?" said Brock. "Normally, Pikachu's Thundershock would have been effective, but thanks to Geodude's characteristics as a dual Rock and Ground Type Pokémon, Electric-Type attacks won't do any damage against it. I guess you didn't study up on Pokémon types as much as I thought you did."

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary. "If Pikachu's Thundershock won't work against Geodude, Tristan will never beat Brock!"

"Geodude, Tackle attack!" ordered Brock.

Geodude rocketed forward toward Pikachu and rammed it hard. The hit seemed to be harder than usual because its body was made of rock. Pikachu struggled to its feet.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack now!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu sped toward Geodude leaving a white trail behind it. Pikachu hit Geodude head on, but Geodude seemed to absorb the blow, leaving Pikachu to take the damage itself.

"Geodude, Tackle attack now!" commanded Brock.

Again, Geodude charged at Pikachu, who was rubbing its head from its failed attempt at Quick Attack.

"Pikachu, watch out!" yelled Tristan.

But it was too late. Geodude crashed into Pikachu, giving it a clean hit. Pikachu collapsed and fainted.

Flint raised the red flag, declaring Pikachu unable to battle and Geodude the winner.

Tristan blamed himself for Pikachu's loss. He had no idea that Pikachu's Electric-Type attacks had no effect on Geodude. And now, his Pokémon was injured.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" he asked it.

Pikachu opened its eyes and nodded weakly.

"I'm sorry I blew it, Pikachu," said Tristan. "I didn't know that your attacks wouldn't do any damage. Will you forgive me?"

Pikachu nodded and replied with a weak smile.

"Thank you, Pikachu," he said. Tears of joy came to his eyes.

The rest of Brock's family had the same reaction. They all understood how Tristan cared about his Pokémon. It was such a happy moment that even Brock felt like crying.

"I promise to do better from now on. You just take it easy for awhile," said Tristan to Pikachu as he wiped his tears away. He handed Pikachu to Hillary in the bleachers.

"Will you take care of Pikachu for me?" he asked her.

"Of course," she replied. "You can do it, Tristan."

"Thanks," said Tristan. "I know what to do now." He came back to the battlefield. Brock may have gotten an early lead in the battle, but he knew that this battle wasn't over until it was over. And he had a secret weapon inside his Pokéball. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

He threw Butterfree's Pokéball and out came a purple butterfly with red compound eyes, veined wings, and two black antennae on its head. Butterfree had recently learned Confusion upon evolving. It could be just the break Tristan was waiting for.

"I'm counting on you, Butterfree," he said to it. "Let's give Brock's Pokémon a sample of your attacks."

"Your Butterfree may have learned Confusion when it evolved," said Brock, "but that's not going to stop Geodude from attacking. Keep in mind that I've traveled with my friends Ash and Misty, and have gotten stronger on the road."

"I won't let that stop me from continuing on," said Tristan. "My Pokémon haven't given up yet so I won't either."

"That's the spirit, Tristan!" said Hillary. "Never give up!"

"Continue the battle!" called Flint as he raised both flags to start round two.

"Geodude, Tackle attack!" commanded Brock.

Geodude charged toward Butterfree and almost rammed into it, but at the last second, Butterfree swerved to the left, causing Geodude to miss its mark.

"Butterfree, use your Confusion attack!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes glowed in a purple light. As they did, Geodude's outline turned purple. It was under Butterfree's control.

"Geodude, what's wrong?" said Brock, who was getting worried about Geodude.

Geodude tried to escape Butterfree's grip, but it couldn't. There was worse to come for Geodude as it was tossed to the ground hard when Butterfree thrust its head downward. Geodude had fainted.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Butterfree wins!" declared Flint as he raised his green flag.

"Butterfree did it!" said Hillary. "I wasn't expecting that at all."

"What an exciting match," said Forrest. "Brock may be tough, but Tristan seems to be holding his own in battle for now."

Hillary was starting to get nervous. "The only thing that concerns me is Brock's next choice," said Hillary. "I have a feeling that Brock's second Pokémon will be tougher to handle than Geodude. And if that's the case, who knows what Tristan's in for?"

"Go, Onix!" yelled Brock as he threw his second Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Out came what appeared to be a giant chain of gray boulders which got smaller towards the tail. It had a rocky spine on its head and a pair of black eyes right under it. The Pokémon stood at 28 feet, ten inches tall.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex. He had never seen anything so big.

" _Onix: The Rock Snake Pokémon_ ," it said. " _This Pokémon burrows underground at high speed in search of food. Despite its size, it can squirm its way underground at 50 miles an hour_."

"This could be a problem," said Hillary. "Tristan has never had to face an Onix before. And if it's been on the road while travelling with Brock, who knows how strong it really is?"

"That Onix has always been one of my favorite Pokémon to play with," said Forrest. "I've always wanted to raise it myself."

"Begin!" declared Flint as he raised both flags to start round three.

"Onix, Tackle attack!" commanded Brock. Onix charged towards Butterfree.

"Butterfree, Confusion!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes once again glowed in a purple color.

Onix was outlined in the same color.

Even though Confusion was doing some damage to it, Tristan found that Butterfree was having trouble lifting it. Onix was a big and heavy Pokémon while Butterfree was much smaller and lighter.

"Onix, use your Bind attack!" ordered Brock.

With its tail, Onix wrapped it around Butterfree and began squeezing it hard.

"Butterfree, use your Confusion attack to break free!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree tried using its attack, but the strain of getting squeezed prevented it from using its attack. Onix had a tight grip on Butterfree and wouldn't let go.

"Keep squeezing it, Onix! Don't let up!" ordered Brock.

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "Butterfree's in major trouble! If Tristan doesn't do something, and quick, he's going to lose this match!"

" _There's got to be something I can do,_ " thought Tristan. " _Confusion won't do me any good if Butterfree can't break free_." He noticed that Butterfree's wings weren't restrained as much as its body. He then remembered other attacks that Butterfree could use. It wasn't going to be easy for Butterfree to move, but if his next plan worked, then he might just clinch the match.

"Okay, Butterfree," said Tristan. "Do you think you can give Onix a Sleep Powder attack?"

Butterfree strained as it nodded.

"Okay, go!" he shouted and hoped for the best.

Butterfree flapped its wings furiously as a cloud of blue shining powder scattered from it.

Onix breathed in the powder, but it didn't seem to affect it at first.

" _It's not working_ ," thought Tristan as he shut his eyes. " _Onix still has a tight grip_." But when he opened his eyes again, he noticed that Sleep Powder was starting to take effect on Onix. Its eyes were starting to grow heavy and its grip began to slacken.

 _(Music Cue: Get Pokémon!)_

"It's working!" said Hillary excitedly. "Onix is getting tired!"

"Way to go, Butterfree!" said Tristan. "Keep it up!"

"Hang in there, Onix!" shouted Brock.

Onix's grip was weakening from getting tired. As the Sleep Powder fully engulfed Onix, Butterfree gathered its strength to break free. Onix's eyes closed as it yawned and fell fast asleep.

"Now's our chance, Butterfree," said Tristan. He thrust his pointer finger forward and shouted, "Use Confusion attack at full power now!"

Butterfree's eyes glowed purple. Onix's outline glowed in the same color and was lifted above the ground. Butterfree mustered up all its strength and tossed Onix up and down. At the last thrust, which was more powerful than the rest, Onix crashed into the ground and fainted.

"Onix is unable to battle!" declared Flint. He raised his green flag. "Butterfree wins and the victory goes to Tristan the challenger!"

"We did it, Butterfree!" shouted Tristan excitedly.

Butterfree flew into Tristan's arms and he gave it a hug.

"You were incredible, Butterfree," said Tristan. "I'm proud of you."

"Tristan won!" said Hillary excitedly. "That was definitely a win worth seeing!"

"Astounding," said Forrest, who was awestruck. "I never thought that Brock would lose to a challenger." Then he smiled. "I guess losing is part of what being a Gym Leader is all about."

Forrest's other siblings agreed soon after. Even though they were shocked and saddened at Brock's loss, they knew that it was a good time to celebrate Tristan's victory, too.

Brock returned Onix to its Pokéball and faced Tristan. "Congratulations," he said. "You've shown me that even though I've gotten stronger on the road and returned home, I need to get even stronger. You've demonstrated great willpower and friendship during today's battle. If you keep that up, you'll be a winner every time."

"Thanks, Brock," replied Tristan. "I will remember that."

Brock took something out of his pocket.

"Here is the Boulder Badge, Tristan," he said. "This is proof of your victory in the Pewter Gym." He gave it to Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

"Thank you so much, Brock," said Tristan. He raised his new Badge in the air and proudly proclaimed, "I got a Boulder Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" proclaimed Pikachu as it jumped high into the air.

* * *

After Tristan rested his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, he and Hillary prepared to say goodbye to Brock and his family.

"I'm going to head back to Pallet Town to help Mrs. Ketchum around the house. This will give me something to do while waiting for Ash and Misty to return from the Orange Islands," explained Brock. "Misty won't be at the next Gym, so you're going to have to battle either Lily, Daisy, or Violet, who are all Misty's beautiful sisters." He blushed at the thought of meeting them again.

"So where is this next Gym, Brock?" asked Tristan.

"The next Gym that you will want to aim for is the one in Cerulean City," answered Brock. "You should have a much easier time at that Gym. The best way is to head east on Route 3 by way of Mount Moon."

"Thanks for helping us, Brock," said Hillary.

"Your cooking was awesome," added Tristan.

"So where will you go after you get back to Pallet Town, Brock?" asked Forrest.

"I'm not sure yet," answered Brock.

"If you happen to see Ash and Misty, could you tell them we said hello?" asked Tristan.

"Of course," answered Brock. "I'll send them your good thoughts."

Tristan and Hillary said their goodbyes to Brock and his family and headed east to Route 3. Brock left Pewter City and left for Pallet Town to reunite with Ash and Misty while planning his next adventures.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan faced off against the first Gym Leader, Brock, and won. His prize: a shiny new Boulder Badge. So far, that makes one, but he will still need to earn seven more in order to qualify for the Pokémon League. What will the other seven Gym Leaders be like? And what new challenges will Tristan have to face in order to attain victory? More and more questions come to mind, but the answers will come as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu continue their journey._

 **►TO BE CONTINUED**


	7. Chapter 7: FOSSIL THIEVES

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings once again, readers! Here is Chapter 7 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue on their journey through Kanto. This is just a reminder that I DO NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names are trademarks of Nintendo. There are plenty of guest stars in this chapter, plus plenty of action. As always, please feel free to read, enjoy, and review. Ask me questions if you feel so inclined.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary make their way out of Pewter City and spend the night at Mount Moon. But unbeknownst to them the next morning, some fossil thieves are in their midst! Who could they be? And why is Pikachu a sudden target of three other "thieves?"**

 **CHAPTER 7: FOSSIL THIEVES**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 The Road to Viridian City (M18A))_

 _After winning a Boulder Badge from Brock, Tristan and his friends, Hillary and Pikachu have set off for their next destination: Cerulean City. But first, they have to make their way through the mysterious Mount Moon by way of Route 3._

"This clearing makes it a great place to collect your thoughts, isn't it, Tristan?" said Hillary.

"You're right, Hillary," replied Tristan. "It does make things peaceful around here."

"Pika pika!" agreed Pikachu.

"I wish we could stop in this clearing and have a little rest," said Tristan.

"Well, why not?" said Hillary. "I know we left Pewter City not too long ago, but it would be a good idea to stop for awhile.

And so it was decided that Tristan and Hillary would set up a picnic lunch in the clearing. Brock had made boxed lunches for them before they left. As always, they praised Brock's cooking and planning ahead.

* * *

As they continued eastward on Route 3 some time later, they went around small ledges and found themselves climbing up many hills. Then they saw that the path turned left from where they were going.

"Well, I guess there's only one direction we can take," said Tristan.

"And that's to the left," added Hillary.

"Pika," agreed Pikachu as they continued to the north.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Caves of Mount Moon (as heard in "The Mystery Menace"))_

The friends arrived at the caves of Mount Moon an hour or two later.

"I heard through the grapevine that rare Pokémon live on Mount Moon," said Tristan. "I have a feeling that you're going to like these Pokémon, Hillary, especially when they do their moon dance."

"Moon dance?" asked Hillary.

"That's right," said Tristan. "It's a special ceremony where these Pokémon dance around the giant Moon Stone located on Mount Moon. And tonight's a full moon, so we may get a chance tonight."

They entered Mount Moon and presently came to a sign. It read:

 **WATCH OUT!**

 **ZUBAT LIKE TO USE LEECH LIFE!**

"What's Leech Life?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but stay close," advised Tristan.

Just then a flock of small blue bat-like Pokémon flew toward the friends. The Pokémon had pointy ears with purple insides and four pointy teeth. They had no eyes.

"Those must be Zubat!" said Tristan as he scanned them with his Pokédex.

" _Zubat: The Bat Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Zubat emits ultrasonic waves while it flies. These waves act as sonar used to check for objects in its way_."

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

The Zubat rushed in for the attack. Their teeth glowed white. They were about to use Leech Life.

Tristan acted fast. "Pikachu, ThunderShock!" he ordered.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow lightning bolt struck the flock of Zubat.

The Zubat flew away from their vicinity and flew elsewhere.

"Thanks, Pikachu," said Tristan.

"Pika!" it replied.

 _(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

"Do you think those Zubat attacked us on purpose?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know," answered Tristan. "It must be close to nightfall outside. Maybe they just saw us and wanted to get by. Or, perhaps, the Zubat must have thought that we were obstacles and attacked us because we were in their territory."

"Well, let's keep going," said Hillary. "I want to see those Pokémon that you were talking about and Zubat wasn't on my list."

"Then let's forge ahead," said Tristan courageously.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu went deep within Mount Moon and came across a giant stone. There was a giant hole in the cave's ceiling just above the stone. A bright full moon was shining down through the hole.

"This must be the giant Moon Stone you were talking about, right?" said Hillary.

"That's right," answered Tristan. "And look at that full moon. Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes it is," said Hillary. "I've never seen one as beautiful as this one in a cave before. But I don't see any of those Pokémon. Are you sure this is the right spot?"

"It must be," replied Tristan. "Otherwise, where else would these Pokémon be than…right there!?" He pointed toward the approaching Pokémon.

They were small pink bipedal creatures with chubby vaguely star-shaped bodies with two small wings on their backs. He scanned them with his Pokédex.

 _(Music Cue: Dance of the Clefairy)_

" _Clefairy: The Fairy Pokémon_ ," it said. " _These impish Pokémon are friendly and peaceful. It is believed to live inside Mount Moon, although very few have been seen by humans_."

"So those are Clefairy," whispered Hillary to Tristan.

"We're very lucky," agreed Tristan. "I think these Pokémon are very shy and get scared easily, so I'd suggest we watch their moon dance quietly. Clefairy have rarely been seen by humans as the Pokédex said."

"Right," said Hillary quietly.

The Clefairy jumped up and down around the giant Moon Stone while dancing the night away.

All the while, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu stayed up for hours quietly watching the Clefairy dance by the light of the moon. Eventually, they fell fast asleep.

After the moon dance, one of the Clefairy quietly dropped a fragment of the giant Moon Stone and left it next to Tristan's bag.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary woke up the next morning thinking about the last thing they remembered before they fell asleep: The moon dance. They saw the Clefairy dance around the giant Moon Stone by the light of the moon just before they fell asleep, but now the sun was shining through the cave roof and they were gone, and nobody knew where.

"I wonder where those Clefairy disappeared to?" wondered Tristan.

"I think they disappeared after the sun came up," said Hillary. "I just hope we didn't scare them."

"I don't think we scared them," said Tristan. "Besides, if we had scared them, they wouldn't have left this behind." He showed Hillary the fragment of the Moon Stone.

"Where did you get that?" asked Hillary with shock.

"Well, I'm not sure exactly," answered Tristan. "It wasn't there before we fell asleep. The Clefairy must have secretly trusted us enough to leave it in our care."

"May I see it, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "I've never touched a Moon Stone before."

"Sure, sis. Here's your chance," answered Tristan, as he handed the Moon Stone to Hillary to hold.

"This is amazing!" said Hillary. "I never knew that Clefairy could leave gifts for people, especially if they trust them."

"I didn't, either," said Tristan. "In the meantime, what do you say we have something to eat?"

"Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

"Okay," said Hillary. "I think we still have some leftover toast that Brock cooked for us."

* * *

After breakfast, Tristan and Hillary packed up and started finding their way out of Mount Moon. They didn't get very far when they spotted a woman with blue hair wearing blue police attire and white gloves.

"Is that a police officer?" asked Hillary.

"I think so," replied Tristan. "I want to see what's going on." He rushed over to the officer.

"No, Tristan, don't!" shouted Hillary. "She'll arrest you!"

But it was too late. Tristan was already halfway to the officer.

"He never listens," huffed Hillary. She followed Tristan.

Tristan met the officer, but she didn't arrest him. "Is something wrong?" he asked her.

"Well, yes there is," she replied. "My name is Officer Jenny, and I may need your help."

"What can we help you with?" asked Tristan.

"Well," replied Officer Jenny, "we've been getting reports of thieves stealing fossils from Mount Moon and they haven't left a clue."

"Hmmmm," thought Tristan. "This is going to be tough."

"I've been posting signs all over the routes near and inside Mount Moon," said Officer Jenny, "but so far, nobody has come forward with any new information. Either they're too scared of the thieves or maybe they just don't want to report it."

"What do the notices say?" asked Hillary.

"See for yourself," said Officer Jenny. She turned one sign around so Hillary and Tristan could read it. It read:

 **NOTICE!**

 **THIEVES HAVE BEEN STEALING FOSSILS FROM MOUNT MOON!**

 **PLEASE CALL OFFICER JENNY WITH ANY NEW INFORMATION!**

"That makes me mad!" fumed Hillary. "Who in the world would do such a thing!?"

"I don't know, but would you two be willing to help out with this investigation?"

"We'll do it!" said Tristan, who was filled with determination. "The sooner we find the thieves, the sooner I can get to Cerulean City and earn another badge!"

"Pika!" added Pikachu.

"Then let the investigation begin!" said Officer Jenny.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Secret Strategy (as heard in "Charmander, the Stray Pokémon"))_

Meanwhile, three figures were watching the friends from a distance. One was a woman with long red hair, another was a man with shoulder length periwinkle hair, and the third was a catlike Pokémon with whiskers and a gold charm on its forehead. The woman and man wore white uniforms with a red letter R on them.

"You know, it's been ages since we've been to Mount Moon. But now that there's a fossil heist going on, maybe we should get in on it, too," said the woman.

"We lost to those twerps not once, but twice here," said the man. "You and I were blown away by the Twerp's Butterfree last time. Then we lost our chance to steal the giant Moon Stone."

"Don't remind me," said the Pokémon. "I didn't have a nice 'drip.'" Not only was it able to talk, but it did so in a New York accent.

"Oh, that's right," said the woman. "You were hosed by that Staryu, weren't you?"

"But now, two more twerps and another Pikachu have shown up!" said the man.

"Not only will we make money selling all those fossils, we might get a bonus by stealing that Pikachu, too!" said the Pokémon.

"Let's hope so, especially after the Diglett and Dugtrio carried us from Hamlin Island back to this neck of the woods," said the woman.

"Let's get to work!" said the man.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Officer Jenny went down to the deepest part of Mount Moon. They saw one person picking up fragments of Pokémon fossils on the ground. He was wearing a black uniform and cap with a red letter R on it.

"Do you know who that guy is, Officer Jenny?" whispered Tristan.

"Yes, I do," she replied. "That person is a member of an evil organization called Team Rocket."

"Team Rocket?" asked Hillary. "Who are they?"

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

"Would you like me to tell you?" a voice asked. Another person had eavesdropped on their conversation and had snuck up behind them. He, too, was wearing a black uniform and cap with a red letter R on it. He was holding a fragment of a Pokémon fossil. "We, Team Rocket, are Pokémon gangsters!" he said. "You can just call me a Team Rocket Grunt.

"You must be one of the thieves Officer Jenny was talking about!" said Tristan, clenching his fist. "Just who are you, anyway?"

"Let go of that fossil!" demanded Hillary.

"Nope," said the Rocket Grunt. "I think I'll sell this treasure for a whole heap of money."

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Tristan had heard enough. "Butterfree, I choose you!" he shouted as he threw Butterfree's Pokéball. Butterfree materialized from the white light that came out of it.

"Okay, if that's how you want to play, then go, Sandshrew!" said the Rocket Grunt and threw his Pokéball.

A white light shot out and materialized into a yellow mammalian Pokémon with a white underbelly and triangular ears.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

" _Sandshrew: The Mouse Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Sandsherew's body is dry. When it gets cold at night, its hide is said to be coated with a fine dew_."

"Sandshrew, Scratch attack now!" ordered the Rocket Grunt. Sandshrew lunged forward with its front paws stretching out.

"All right, Butterfree, Confusion!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes glowed light purple and so did Sandshrew's outline.

Sandshrew was lifted high into the air and couldn't escape.

Butterfree thrust its head downward causing Sandshrew to crash into the ground. Sandshrew had fainted.

"Sandshrew, return!" commanded the Rocket Grunt.

A red beam shot out of the Pokéball and surrounded Sandshrew, which de-materialized and disappeared inside.

The Rocket Grunt was getting mad. "Go, Ekans!" he shouted as he threw his second Pokéball.

A white light shot out and materialized into a purple serpentine Pokémon with a yellow rattle, eyes and a thick stripe around its neck.

Tristan scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Ekans: The Snake Pokémon_ ," it said. " _The older it gets, the longer it grows. It wraps its long body around trees to rest at night_."

"Ekans, Poison Sting!" shouted the Rocket Grunt.

A barrage of darts shot out of Ekans' mouth toward the three friends.

"Send them all flying with Confusion, Butterfree!" commanded Tristan.

Butterfree's compound eyes glowed light purple.

All of the stingers were outlined in the same color. They stopped in midair, got turned around, and headed right back for Ekans. It got hit by its own attack.

"Now, Butterfree, Sleep Powder!" instructed Tristan. Butterfree flapped its wings and a shining blue cloud of powder was scatted from it. The powder landed all over Ekans, causing it to breathe it in, and soon, it was fast asleep.

"Ekans, return!" commanded the Rocket Grunt.

A red beam shot out of Ekans' Pokéball and surrounded it, causing it to de-materialize and disappear inside.

"Zubat, go!" shouted the Rocket Grunt, throwing another Pokéball.

A white light shot out of it and materialized into a blue bat with purple wings and no eyes.

"That Zubat looks just like the flock of Zubat we saw last night!" exclaimed Hillary.

"It's your turn, Pikachu," ordered Tristan. "Give it a Thundershock!"

Pikachu leaped from Tristan's shoulder and landed in front of him while facing Zubat. "Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it shouted as a yellow lightning bolt shot out of its body and zapped Zubat. It fainted instantly.

"No! Zubat!" cried the Rocket Grunt. "I blew it!"

"You bet you did, Team Rocket Grunt!" replied Officer Jenny. "You're under arrest for stealing fossils from Mount Moon!"

Officer Jenny put her first pair of handcuffs on the Rocket Grunt, arresting him on the spot. She radioed the other officers for backup because she knew that there were more Team Rocket Grunts to look for.

"Darn it all!" fumed the Rocket Grunt. "My associates won't stand for this!"

"I have more officers on the way," said Officer Jenny to the kids. "As soon as they pick this guy up, I will catch up to you. You go ahead and take care of the other Team Rocket Grunts who are still on the loose."

"Right!" said Tristan and Hillary together. And they dashed off to find the second Rocket Grunt, who just happened to be right in front of them. He spied the two immediately and prepared for battle.

"We're pulling a big job here! Get lost, brats!" he demanded.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"No way that's going to happen!" shouted Tristan. "Go, Butterfree!"

Butterfree, who had been racing with the kids, flew in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle.

"Okay, Ekans, get these kids!" shouted the second Rocket Grunt as he threw his first Pokéball.

Ekans emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Butterfree, Confusion attack!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes glowed in a light purple color, as did Ekans' outline. Butterfree's Confusion attack had Ekans in its grip. Butterfree thrust its head forward and caused Ekans to fly past the Grunt and crash into the ground. Ekans had fainted.

The second Rocket Grunt returned Ekans to its Pokéball. "Zubat, go get them!" he shouted as he threw its Pokéball.

Zubat materialized in front of the Grunt from the white light that shot out of it.

"Okay, Butterfree, Confusion now!" commanded Tristan.

Once again, Butterfree's eyes glowed light purple and so did Zubat's outline.

Zubat was hoisted into the air and was in the grip of Butterfree's attack.

Butterfree thrust its head forward, causing Zubat to fly into the Rocket Grunt. Not only did they knock each other out, but the battle caused a fragment of another fossil to fly into the air and safely into Hillary's hands.

"Way to go, Hillary!" praised Tristan. "You seem to be getting better at playing catch!"

An instant later, one of Officer Jenny's backup officers arrived on the scene and arrested the Grunt on the spot.

"So you are good," said the Rocket Grunt to Tristan. "If you find a fossil, give it to me and scram!"

"Like I said before, there's no way that's going to happen," said Tristan. "And besides, we have to find your other associates, wherever they are."

The officer thanked the kids for keeping the Rocket Grunt at bay. "Officer Jenny will be with you momentarily, kids," he said. "There are more officers on the way, also. We appreciate your assistance so far. In the meantime, you need to go ahead and get those thieves!"

"We will! Thanks very much!" called Hillary as she and Tristan raced away with Pikachu. Butterfree flew right behind them.

Meanwhile, the woman, man, and talking Pokémon were watching this turn of events a short distance away.

"Those other twerps are stealing back what we were planning to steal!" said the Pokémon.

"Oh, no, they're not!" said the woman, angrily.

"Then let's go after them!" said the man. And they rushed after Tristan and Hillary, who had no idea that they were following them.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary were rushing through one part of Mount Moon after another. All the while, they had no idea they were so close to the next thief. Just then, another person called right out to them.

"Hey! Boy and girl! Boy and girl! Come here!" he said.

"Are you addressing us?" asked Tristan.

"Greetings, my young athletic friends!" he said. "I am a salesman! I want you to have a look at this Pokémon!" He shoved what looked like a medium-sized fish with reddish orange scales, big round eyes, and pink lips close to Tristan's face.

"That's too close! Get it away!" said Tristan, whose voice was muffled by the Pokémon.

"What is that thing?" asked Hillary.

"The king of all carp: A Magikarp!" answered the salesman.

"So what are we supposed to do with it?" asked Tristan sarcastically.

 _(Music Cue: Goofball Alert (as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

"This Pokémon is one of the healthiest Pokémon in the world!" said the salesman. "Just see for yourselves!" He put the Magikarp in Hillary's hands, and it immediately started to flop around vigorously.

"It certainly feels like it's active!" said Hillary, who was surprised.

"Just between you and me," said the salesman, "this Magikarp is like a Pokémon gold mine!"

"Gold mine!?" asked Tristan, who was beginning to get suspicious. "Where's the proof?"

"A Magikarp lays 1,000 eggs at a time," he explained. "Each of these baby Magikarp lay another 1,000 more. That's a million Magikarp! And each of these one million Magikarp lays another thousand more eggs! That's a billion Magikarp!"

"I don't know if I want that many," said Hillary, nervously.

"Besides, what proof do you have that Magikarp is a Pokémon gold mine anyway?" asked Tristan.

"I've sold one Magikarp for a hundred dollars," explained the salesman. "In three generations, you will have tons of money! Billions and billions of dollars! You will be so rich that you will be on a Pokémon shopping spree! I normally charge a hundred dollars, but for you two, I will throw in an egg-laying set, child care set, and education set for only three hundred dollars. Okay?"

"You'd better check your Pokédex, Tristan," whispered Hillary. "I don't trust this guy."

"You're right," agreed Tristan. "He sounds like a con man to me." He got his Pokédex out and scanned Magikarp with it.

" _Magikarp: The Fish Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Magikarp is famous for being unreliable. It can be found in seas, lakes, rivers, and shallow puddles_."

The Magikarp salesman cringed upon hearing this information. His scheme had been found out by two kids and a high-tech piece of machinery.

"Pokémon gold mine, huh?" said Tristan, who was clearly annoyed. "Sorry, but we're not interested in Magikarp. Besides, Pokémon are to be caught by travelling trainers, not bought and sold by crooked salesmen like you!"

"Yeah, people like you shouldn't be in the business of selling anything, especially if they lie, cheat, and steal!" fumed Hillary.

"And besides, we have more important things to do, like chasing thieves!" added Tristan.

"So you can keep that Magikarp!" finished Hillary. And she threw the Magikarp back to the salesman, who caught it in his hand. Tristan and Hillary beat a hasty retreat and continued chasing after Team Rocket down the caves of Mount Moon.

* * *

Meanwhile, the trio of thieves, who had been chasing after the kids, had lost them because they ran so fast. The man seemed to be ahead of the other two members of the trio, but soon came across the Magikarp salesman.

 _(Music Cue: Goofball Alert as heard in "Tricks of the Trade"))_

"Greetings, my blue haired friend," he said to the man. "Have you ever seen a finer looking Magikarp?"

"Why, no!" said the man. "It looks to me like Pokémon perfection!"

"Just between you and me, this Magikarp is like a Pokémon gold mine!" said the salesman.

"Gold mine?" asked the man.

"A Magikarp lays 1,000 eggs at a time," explained the salesman. Each of these baby Magikarp lay another 1,000 eggs. That's a million Magikarp! Each of those million Magikarp lay another one thousand eggs. That's a billion Magikarp!"

"A billion!?" said the man excitedly.

"I've sold one Magikarp for a hundred dollars," explained the salesman. "In three generations, you will have tons of money! Billions and billions of dollars! You will be so rich that you will be on a Pokémon shopping spree! I normally charge a hundred dollars, but for you, I will throw in an egg-laying set, child care set, and education set for only three hundred dollars. Okay?"

"I'll take it!" said the man. But just before he took the Magikarp from the salesman, he stopped and said, "Hey, wait a minute. This is like the scenario that came up in the St. Anne. And the crooked salesman looked a lot like…" He then realized who he was about to be conned by. "Aaaah!" he cried. "You're the same old swindler who tricked me before!"

The salesman cringed at being found out by the person who he conned in the past. "Bye now!" he said and dashed away.

"I'll get you!" roared the man as he started chasing after the Magikarp salesman. But soon after, he crashed into the woman and the talking Pokémon. They all rubbed their heads in pain and got back up.

"What happened?" moaned the woman.

"I think we all crashed into each other," groaned the talking Pokémon.

"Never mind that," said the man. "We left off with chasing the twerps."

"Then let's chase them already!" shouted the woman. And the trio dashed madly away to find Tristan and Hillary to attempt to steal the fossil fragments and Pikachu, too.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary were still running after Team Rocket even after escaping from one of the Magikarp salesman's nefarious schemes. They barely had enough time to catch their breath when yet another Rocket Grunt showed up in front of them.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

"Little kids should leave grown-ups alone!" he shouted.

"You need to leave those fossils alone!" countered Tristan.

"Are you trying to be mouthy, you little BRAT!?" screamed the Grunt. He threw his first Pokéball, which released a Zubat from a bright white light.

"Okay, Butterfree, use your Confusion!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree flew in front of Tristan with its eyes glowing purple.

Zubat's outline glowed in the same color and was lifted into the air.

Butterfree thrust its head forward and caused Zubat to crash into the ground. Zubat had fainted.

"Ekans, get these brats now!" shouted the Grunt as he threw Ekans' Pokéball. A bright white light came out of it and materialized in front of the Grunt.

"Butterfree, use your Confusion attack!" ordered Tristan.

Once again, Butterfree's eyes glowed light purple.

Ekans' outline glowed in the same color and was lifted into the air.

Butterfree thrust its head forward and caused Ekans to fly into the Grunt, causing him to lose a fragment of yet another fossil.

Tristan caught the fragment and put it in his bag.

Ekans, however, was knocked out.

"I'm STEAMED!" the Grunt screamed as he was arrested by yet another backup officer.

"Thanks, kids. You've been a really big help to the police force," said the officer. "Officer Jenny will be here to escort the fossil fragments that you collected from the thieves to the Pewter Museum of Science. In the meantime, take this path to exit Mount Moon."

"Thanks! We will!" called Tristan as he and Hillary rushed away.

* * *

It wasn't long before Officer Jenny caught up with Tristan and Hillary.

"You two didn't have much trouble stopping the thieves, did you?" she asked.

"Nope, the last three battles were a piece of cake," answered Tristan.

"That's a relief," said Officer Jenny.

Presently, the three friends saw two fossils on the ground.

"Are those Pokémon fossils?" asked Hillary.

"They sure look like it," answered Tristan.

"They're a Dome Fossil and a Helix Fossil," said Officer Jenny. "Those are extremely rare and are very hard to come by."

"Hey, stop!" shouted a voice. It belonged to a skinny person with glasses and long hair. "I found these fossils! They're both mine!"

"What do you mean they're both yours?!" demanded Hillary. "We saw them first! What right do you have to claim both of them as your own?"  
"She's right!" agreed Tristan. "Being greedy like this just isn't right or fair!"

"I'm a Super Nerd! You want to make something out of it?!" he shouted as he sent out his first Pokémon.

A white light shot out of the Pokéball and materialized into a spherical Pokémon that looked exactly like a Pokéball with eyes, minus the button.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

"It's a Voltorb!" exclaimed Officer Jenny. "Be careful!"

"What's a Voltorb?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Voltorb: The Ball Pokémon_ ," it said. " _It is said to camouflage itself like a Pokéball. Voltorb may Self-Destruct without warning_."

"You'd better be careful, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Who knows what we're in for if that thing Self-Destructs."

"Right!" said Tristan. "Go, Butterfree!"

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

Once again, Butterfree flew in front of Tristan, ready for another battle.

"Okay, Butterfree, Confusion!" ordered Tristan.

"Voltorb, Self-Destruct now!" shouted the Super Nerd.

Voltorb's body began glowing in a white color. Electric yellow sparks were shooting out of its body. It was getting ready to explode!

"Butterfree, get out of there!" exclaimed Tristan as he and the others braced for the attack.

However, Voltorb's body exploded violently and caused the ground to shake.

Tristan and the others struggled to maintain their balance.

Butterfree seemed to take some damage from the shock waves of the explosion, but it was still in the battle.

As for Voltorb, using Self-Destruct caused it to faint instantly.

"Well, that was explosive," said Hillary.

"Are you okay, Butterfree?" asked Tristan.

Butterfree shook itself free of the soot and smoke from the explosion. It seemed to be shaken, but it nodded its response.

"What a relief," sighed Hillary.

The Super Nerd seemed to enjoy the first battle so much that he decided to do it again with his next Pokémon. "Go, Koffing!" he shouted as he threw his second Pokéball.

A white light shot out of the ball and materialized into what looked like a purple spherical Pokémon with vacant eyes and a big mouth with a cream-colored skull and crossbones below it. Tristan quickly scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Koffing: The Poison Gas Pokémon_ ," it said. " _In hot places, this Pokémon's internal gas could expand and explode without warning. Trainers beware_!"

"Okay, Koffing!" said the Super Nerd gleefully. "If these guys liked the last explosion, they'll LOVE this one! Self-Destruct!"

"Not again!" exclaimed Tristan, Hillary, and Officer Jenny together.

Like Voltorb, Koffing glowed in a white light, but purple sparks shot out of its body. Then, Koffing exploded and covered everyone in soot and smoke.

Again, Butterfree took some damage, but remained in the battle.

Koffing fainted, too, however.

"That guy just loves to see things go boom!" mused Tristan.

"Let's go, Grimer!" shouted the Super Nerd as he threw his third Pokéball.

A bright white light shot out of the ball and materialized into what looked like an amorphous blob-like Pokémon with living sludge. It had beady eyes and a gaping mouth as well as two arms with three digits on each hand. The smell of that Pokémon was so potent that Tristan and his friends had to cover their noses.

"What's that smell!?" exclaimed Hillary.

"It's a Grimer!" answered Officer Jenny.

"So what's a Grimer?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Grimer: The Sludge Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Born from sludge, these Pokémon specialize in using Sludge attacks_."

"That really stinks!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Agreed," said Tristan. "It's time to send that Grimer packing." Before the Super Nerd could order Grimer to use an attack, Tristan had Butterfree use Confusion on Grimer.

Once again, Butterfree's eyes glowed light purple, as did Grimer's outline. Grimer was lifted into the air and was tossed back into the Super Nerd, knocking each other out.

The Super Nerd woke up and returned Grimer to its Pokéball. Then he noticed Tristan and Hilalry glaring at him.

Officer Jenny watched from close by.

"Okay! I'll share!" he cried.

"Do you promise not to get greedy?" asked Hillary.

"I promise," he said. "And to prove it, I'll give these fossils to Officer Jenny to donate to the Pewter Museum of Science." He handed them over to her.

"Thank you very much," she said. "Because of your generous donation, the Pewter Museum of Science staff will be very happy."

"I'm just glad I could help, ma'am," said the Super Nerd. And he left the room.

"Well, that was easy," said Tristan.

"Hey, Tristan, you'd better take a look at Butterfree," advised Hillary.

Butterfree was panting heavily from all the battles it had fought and had sweat dripping all over its face.

Tristan was spending so much time thinking about the crisis on Mount Moon that he had forgotten about Butterfree's health. Tristan was shocked that he let it go this far.

"I'm sorry about that, Butterfree," he said. "You'd better rest in your Pokéball." He aimed the Pokéball's button toward Butterfree.

A red beam of energy shot out of it and surrounded Butterfree, which transformed into a red energy field and disappeared inside.

Just then, two mechanical claws grabbed the two fossils from behind the three friends and yanked them out of Officer Jenny's hands. To make matters worse, a rubber hand grabbed Pikachu from behind as well.

"Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Who did that!?" demanded Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Motto (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

The response came from the man, the woman, and the talking Pokémon who laughed maniacally. They had followed them the entire time and had succeeded in stealing Pikachu and the fossils.

"Prepare for trouble!" said the woman.

"Yes, and make it double!" said the man. Then they both recited a motto.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, dat's right!" chimed the Pokémon, who stood between Jessie and James.

"So you three are part of Team Rocket, too!" exclaimed Tristan. "Give back Pikachu!"

"And give back those fossils, too!" demanded Hillary.

"You three are under arrest for stealing Pikachu and the fossils!" said Officer Jenny. "Those fossils don't belong to you!"

"Who says they don't?" asked Jessie.

"Besides, who wants to listen to two twerps and a demanding officer?" put in James.

"Maybe you can think about something else, okay?" finished Meowth.

"Pikachu, Thundershock!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu tried shooting a yellow lightning bolt toward the Team Rocket trio, but the rubber glove just absorbed the attack. As a result, Pikachu's attack had failed.

The Team Rocket trio laughed.

Meowth cackled and said, "If you think we haven't prepared for ways to deal with Pikachu's attacks, you got another thing coming!"

"You see," said James, "we've been tailing another twerp and another Pikachu for a long time and we were hoping to capture it. But now that we've seen another Pikachu, we've decided to take a chance and steal this one just for the fun of it."

"You three are awful!" fumed Hillary.

Tristan had had enough. He had to save Pikachu, and quick! "Pidgey, I choose you!" He threw Pidgey's Pokéball.

Pidgey had materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Go, Arbok!" yelled Jessie.

"Go, Weezing!" commanded James. They both threw their Pokéballs at the same time.

The light from Jessie's Pokéball materialized into what looked like a purple cobra with scales. It had an angry face design on its hood, which was below its head. It had a wide black streak like a mouth and a V-shaped stripe about the face pattern.

The light from James' Pokéball materialized into two spherical heads connected by a thin tube with another sphere in the center. The left head was larger than the smaller one. It had a cream-colored skull and crossbones below the larger face but the smaller face had a bright yellow circle below it. Tristan quickly scanned both Pokémon on his Pokédex.

" _Arbok: The Cobra Pokémon: The evolved form of Ekans_ ," it said. " _The frightening patterns on its body have been studied. Six variations have been confirmed._

" _Weezing: The Poison Gas Pokémon: The evolved form of Koffing. It lives and grows by absorbing dust, germs, and poison gases that are contained in toxic waste and garbage_."

Hillary was outraged. "Hey!" she shouted. "Two against one is unfair!"

"She's right!" added Tristan. "That's cheating!"

"All's fair in love and war," said Jessie, "but cheating is one of the lessons that we've taken in bad guy school."

"She's right," added James. "If we hadn't done that, we never would have succeeded in joining Team Rocket in the first place."

"Yeah!" agreed Meowth. "We've loined a lot of bad tings along the way. Now dat we got dat straight, let's go get dat tiny bird!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Showdown at Dark City"))_

"Arbok, Poison Sting attack!" shouted Jessie.

"Weezing, use your Sludge attack!" ordered James.

A barrage of darts shot out of Arbok's mouth while dark brown sludge shout out from Weezing's two mouths. Both attacks were headed toward Pidgey.

However, Pidgey just stood there, unaware of the danger.

Tristan was getting worried. "Quick, Pidgey! Get out of the way!" yelled Tristan.

Pidgey just turned its head away from Tristan. It was still not obeying orders. But once Pidgey saw how fast the double attack was going toward it, it climbed up from the ground at the last second.

"Pidgey, Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

But instead of using Tackle, Pidgey used Quick Attack, leaving a white trail behind it. It just missed Arbok, but it managed to hit Weezing.

Tristan hit his face in embarrassment. "That's not what I wanted," he moaned. He turned to Pidgey. "Come on, Pidgey! If we want to win, you've got to listen to what I'm telling you!"

Pidgey just turned away from Tristan.

"Please, Pidgey," begged Tristan. "I need your help! Pikachu's in trouble and we need to get it back!"

"Weezing, Smokescreen now!" commanded James.

Dark green smoke was released from the holes in Weezing's body. It surrounded the entire room.

Everyone struggled to see, including Pidgey.

Tristan, Hillary, and Officer Jenny found it difficult to breathe in the smog and started coughing.

"Arbok, Wrap attack!" ordered Jessie.

Arbok got through the smog and wrapped its huge body around Pidgey. It squeezed its foe very tightly.

Pidgey couldn't move.

"Pidgey, no!" hacked Tristan, who was still coughing from Weezing's attack.

Pidgey struggled to break free, but it only seemed to get squeezed even tighter.

But just then, Pidgey was bathed in a bright white light.

This time, Arbok struggled to keep ahold of Pidgey, but soon lost its grip as Pidgey began to evolve and grow bigger in size.

Everyone was astounded, including Tristan. "What's going on with Pidgey?" he asked.

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne"))_

As Pidgey evolved and grew in size, it grew more flight feathers on its wings. After it evolved it had pink feathers on its head and an alternating pattern of pink and yellow tail feathers. Tristan scanned the newly-evolved Pokémon with his Pokédex.

" _Pidgeotto: The Bird Pokémon: The evolved form of Pidgey_ ," it said. " _Pidgeotto is full of vitality. It constantly flies around its territory in search of prey_."

"It sure looks powerful," remarked Officer Jenny.

"But will it obey Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"We're about to find out," answered Tristan. He turned to Pidgeotto. "Okay, Pidgeotto, let's show Team Rocket how powerful you are with your Quick Attack!"

This time, Pidgeotto charged toward Arbok and Weezing leaving a white trail behind it. It was obeying Tristan not because he had asked it to, but because it wanted to show off its newfound power. Tristan didn't realize it yet, however. Pidgeotto successfully rammed into Arbok and Weezing, scoring a direct hit.

Jessie was losing her patience. "Don't let that little birdbrain beat you, Arbok!" she shouted. "Use your Poison Sting!"

"Weezing, use your Sludge attack!" ordered James.

Another barrage of darts shot out of Arbok's mouth while dark brown sludge shot out of Weezing's two mouths, but Pidgeotto was ready for it.

"Pidgeotto, Gust attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeotto flapped its wings furiously, causing a huge gust of wind to blow from them. Pidgeotto's Gust attack packed so much of a wallop that it blew Arbok and Weezing right into Team Rocket, releasing Pikachu from the rubber glove and the bag of fossils from Team Rocket's grip.

Pikachu ran toward Tristan as Hillary caught the bag.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

"Pikachu!" it replied.

The Team Rocket trio cringed.

"I've got bad news!" said Jessie.

"It's a shocking feeling," added James.

"Looks like our chances at victory just got zapped," finished Meowth.

"Okay, Pikachu, give them your Thundershock!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it shouted as a yellow lightning bolt shot out of Pikachu's body. Team Rocket screamed as they got zapped. Pikachu's attack caused an explosion, sending the trio flying through the cave roof into the sky.

"Another twerp beat us!?" exclaimed Jessie.

"It sure looks that way," answered James, "and he was only a beginner."

"Now it looks like we're blasting off at da speed o' light!" said Meowth.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they shouted as they flew south and disappeared with a star to mark their flight.

 _DING!_

Back on Mount Moon, Tristan congratulated his Pokémon.

"Great work, Pikachu and Pidgeotto. You two showed Team Rocket," he said. However, he turned to see Pidgeotto had fallen fast asleep.

 _(Music Cue: Route 3: The Road to Cerulean City)_

"Oh, come on, Pidgeotto!" he complained. "Won't you ever listen to me?"

"It sounds to me like your Pidgeotto has some obedience issues to work out," said Officer Jenny.

"Well, let's look on the bright side, big bro," said Hillary. "At least we got those fossil fragments back."

"And Pikachu, too," added Tristan.

"We sure did," said Officer Jenny. "I salute you for your hard work and cooperation. Thank you both."

"Aw, shucks!" laughed Tristan nervously.

* * *

Officer Jenny guided Tristan and Hillary to the other side of Mount Moon a short time later.

"Take Route 4 to the east and you will reach Cerulean City," she advised.

"We will," replied Tristan.

"Thanks to you, my investigation on Mount Moon is now complete," said Officer Jenny. "And now we have the fossil fragments to donate to the Pewter Museum of Science. I have to get back to Pewter City for more of my own work, so take care."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny!" called Tristan and Hillary. "You, too!" They waved goodbye as Officer Jenny walked back into the cave on her way back to Pewter City.

Presently, Tristan noticed a sign.

"Looks like this sign points us to Cerulean City," he said. "But wait a minute…what does the other tiny print say?" He looked at the writing. It read:

GARY WAS HERE!

ASH IS A LOSER!

"It sounds like Ash and Gary have a fierce rivalry going, doesn't it?" said Hillary.

"It sure looks that way," replied Tristan. "That must have been made a long time ago, but I'm surprised that that sign hasn't been replaced yet."

"Come on, Tristan," said Hillary. "Let's get going."

* * *

 _After heading out of Mount Moon, Tristan and Hillary are happy in the knowledge that they defeated Team Rocket and got all the fossil fragments back in the right hands. And so these two friends continue on their way to Cerulean City and Tristan's next Gym battle._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	8. Chapter 8: THE MAGICAL MERMAID

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 8 of Tristan and Hillary's adventures through the Kanto region. Misty's sisters are in this one, just so you know. They had been showing _The Magical Mermaid_ at the Cerulean Gym for quite awhile, even with Team Rocket's interference on their first day. The story of The Magical Mermaid will be slightly different than what it is in the anime partly because Team Rocket won't be in it, but they have been mentioned. ****As always, please feel free to read, review, and ask questions. Enjoy yourselves in the meantime.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have finally made it to Cerulean City. But when they show up at the Gym, the Sensational Sisters tell them that they're a few actors short. Will our young heroes be able to help?**

 **Chapter 8. THE MAGICAL MERMAID**

 _(Music Cue: Opening &Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After their latest adventure on Mount Moon, Tristan and Hillary have finally made it to Cerulean City. Of course, there is only one thing on Tristan's mind._

"I can hardly wait to earn another badge!" said Tristan excitedly. "Let's go to the Gym now!"

"Hold it, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Tristan suddenly remembered. "That's right," he said. "Thanks to our battles with Team Rocket, my Pokémon are exhausted. They need a good rest."

So Tristan and Hillary decided to head over to the Pokémon Center to give his Pokémon a well-deserved rest.

Nurse Joy greeted them warmly when they got inside.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center," she said.

"Could you take care of my Pokémon for me please?" asked Tristan.

"Sure, I'll take care of them," answered Nurse Joy.

Tristan handed his Pokémon to her, and then, he and Hillary grabbed a bite to eat in the Pokémon Center's cafeteria. It was there that they saw a poster advertising the performance of an underwater ballet called _The Magical Mermaid._

The poster contained a photo of three beautiful women wearing swim suits. The first woman had pink hair, the second had violet hair, and the third had yellow hair. They were known throughout the world as the Sensational Sisters. There was also a picture of a woman dressed in a mermaid costume.

"These women in the poster sure look beautiful," said Tristan. "Even though I want to have a Gym Battle now, it would be worth it to see the show before then."

"I agree," said Hillary. "I've never seen an underwater ballet before. Besides, the performance might give you some ideas on how to take on the Gym Leader's Pokémon in your next Gym battle."

"I assume that there will be Pokémon swimming along with them," added Tristan.

"The ballet takes place at the Gym, which is the same place you want to have your Gym Battle," said Hillary.

"So as soon as we get finished eating, let's get tickets," Tristan advised.

"Okay," said Hillary.

Just then, the recovery signal rang.

Nurse Joy came out with Pikachu and Tristan's other two Pokémon.

"Here are your Pokémon, Tristan," she said.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Tristan. He then asked her about the performance times for _The Magical Mermaid_ and where to get tickets.

"Oh, it's easy," answered Nurse Joy. "You just get them at the Gym. The tickets will show your seat numbers. The last performance of the day begins at four, so be sure to be at the Gym half an hour ahead of time."

"We will," said Tristan and Hillary together. It was already three o'clock, and they needed to get to the Gym. Fortunately for their efforts, it was close to the Pokémon Center. And they dashed over to the gym so they could enjoy the show.

* * *

The Cerulean City Gym looked like a brightly colored dome with a gigantic painting of a Dewgong at the top of it. At the Gym, the three Sensational Sisters were facing a problem. Even though they had been enjoying their success for the past five months, they were a few cast members short for their last performance of the day, and they needed to find new guest stars, and fast.

The pink-haired woman spoke first. "Ever since our sister Misty came to the Gym and help defeat that awful Team Rocket, we've had our shows sold out until next month," she said.

"I know," the blonde-haired woman replied. "But now that it's just us, we've been taking turns playing the magical mermaid, the villains, and the prince."

"But there's too much repetition and not enough people to help us," added the violet-haired woman. "We need to have at least one more person in our play, or we're sunk."

Just then, Tristan and Hillary appeared.

"Hello, there. We'd like two tickets for _The Magical Mermaid,_ please." said Tristan.

"Welcome to the play!" said the blonde-haired woman excitedly. She dashed to the two surprised children. "We're so glad you're here because we need your help."

"Need our help?" asked Hillary. "What for?"

"We've been searching for two guests to perform the protagonist and the prince," replied the pink-haired woman.

"We'd like to help, but we don't know our lines," said Tristan.

"Tristan's right," added Hillary. "It would be impossible to memorize our lines in a limited amount of time. And besides, the last show of the day is in one hour."

"Don't worry about that," assured the violet-haired woman. "I may have been the scriptwriter for the play, but you can just make up your lines as you go."

"Oh, I get it," said Tristan. "Use improvisation."

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the blond-haired woman said. "My name's Daisy. I'm the oldest of the three Sensational Sisters."

"My name's Violet," the violet-haired woman said. "I'm the second oldest."

"I'm Lily," the pink-haired woman said. "I'm the third oldest."

"It's nice to meet you all," said Hillary.

"Could you please tell us how the play is supposed to work?" asked Tristan.

"I'll explain it to both of you since I'm the scriptwriter," she replied. She began to tell the story's plot.

* * *

"Once, there was a mermaid swimming along with her Water Pokémon friends. That's you, Hillary," she said to her, then continued the story. "But one day, while playing underwater with her friends, two villains appear and capture the mermaid. They demand to know where the coveted underwater treasure is, and when she doesn't tell them, they get really rough with her.

"Just when the villains appear to have won, a handsome prince appears and comes to her rescue. That's you, Tristan," said Violet, who turned to Tristan. She continued the story. "The prince and mermaid settle their differences, raise a family of Seel and live happily ever after."

"It sounds like a good story," said Hillary, "but how in the world am I going to be able to breathe underwater?"

"You'll use this, of course," replied Daisy, holding what looked like a mini-propeller in her hand.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"It's a mouthpiece," replied Daisy. "It's worn between the wearer's lips and will help them breathe underwater."

"So Hillary will be able to breathe underwater like a mermaid, but what about being an actual mermaid?" asked Tristan.

"We've got that covered," answered Lily. She dug out a mermaid costume from her costume trunk.

"This costume will help you not only look like a mermaid, but also swim like one," said Violet. She handed the costume to Hillary.

"Come on, Hillary. Let's try this costume on," suggested Daisy. She took Hillary into a dressing room.

"As for you, Tristan," said Lily, "you get to wear this handsome costume." She handed it to Tristan, along with a crown.

"I'll take you into the second dressing room, Tristan, but you'll have to dress alone," advised Violet.

"It's just as well, Violet," said Tristan. "I'd rather dress without needing any help, anyway." Violet led him to the second dressing room.

* * *

Two minutes later, Tristan and Hillary came out dressed as the prince and mermaid, respectively. Hillary was wearing makeshift waterproof flippers on her feet and a bikini. Tristan's costume was full of royalty and came equipped with a plastic sword in a makeshift sheath along with a plastic crown on his head. Both costumes fit them perfectly.

"Well, what do you think, ladies?" asked Daisy to Violet and Lily.

"Perfect!" squealed both ladies together.

Tristan felt somewhat honored. "Well, I do want to be a royal cast member and treat my audience as my friend," he said.

Hillary, on the other hand, felt embarrassed. "I never thought that I would look like a person with fins before," she said.

"That's what mermaids look like," said Daisy.

"Wait a second!" said Tristan. "Who's going to watch Pikachu?"

"Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

Violet suddenly had an idea. "We'll have Pikachu be your partner who electrocutes the villains after you save the magical mermaid!" she said.

"But, you'll get hurt!" stumbled Tristan.

"Don't worry," said Lily. "We've got rubber gloves and other drying equipment, so as soon as we're dry, we'll be fine."

"That's right," added Daisy. "We'll just pretend to be shocked by Pikachu's Electric attacks."

"Well, in that case, are you ready to act, Pikachu?" asked Tristan to Pikachu.

"Pika-Pikachu!" answered Pikachu excitedly.

"Then let's get to the stage because it's almost show time!" shouted Violet happily.

* * *

The main part of the Cerulean Gym contained a pool. The bleachers were full of spectators, who were anxiously waiting for the show to begin. Hillary was waiting on top of the diving board behind the curtain. Tristan and Pikachu were standing by backstage, waiting for their cues later in the show.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience!" announced Daisy over the public address system. "Our underwater ballet, _The Magical Mermaid,_ performed by the exciting and talented Cerulean Sensational Sisters and two guest stars is about to begin!"

After the announcement, the audience applauded, the house lights dimmed, and the pool rose up, transforming into a glass aquarium. The people in the audience were amazed at the transformation of the pool and the underwater floodlight.

 _(Music Cue: Surf (The Sea) M40)_

As the stage lights came on over the many Water-type Pokémon and the curtain opened, Daisy began narrating the story.

"Once upon a time, in a beautiful peaceful lagoon, there lived happy water Pokémon, who spent many playful hours with their friend, the Magical Mermaid."

At that cue, the spotlight came on Hillary, who gracefully jumped off the diving board and dove underwater. Thanks to her mouthpiece, she was able to breathe underwater just like a fish. She began to swim and dance along with the other Water-type Pokémon, who thought she was a good dancer.

Tristan and Pikachu were filled with awe. "I wish I could swim and do a ballet dance as gracefully as Hillary does," he whispered to Pikachu.

"Pika," whispered Pikachu in agreement.

The audience was just as awestruck about Hillary's graceful underwater dance as Tristan and Pikachu were. Daisy continued her story as Hillary and the other Pokémon played underwater. The stage light turned orange and eventually dark blue.

"Everyone in the calm lagoon passed day after day in joyous song and dance, and in happy frolic and play, before drifting off in peaceful sleep."

Hillary yawned and pretended to fall asleep in a clam shell, which she closed herself. The other Water-type Pokémon yawned and acted in the same way as Daisy continued the story over the P.A. system.

"The magical mermaid's Water Pokémon all lived their lives in peace and harmony…until one day, two terrible villains appeared."

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

Another spotlight came on over the diving board and shone on Lily and Violet, who were dressed as villains in water costumes. They also wore mouthpieces so they could breathe underwater. They jumped off the diving board and swam toward the clam shell.

A Horsea alerted Hillary to the approaching "villains" on cue. "Sea! Sea!" it cried.

"What is it?" asked Hillary as the "Magical Mermaid" to the Horsea. She saw the villains approach the shell and trembled.

"Greetings, Magical Mermaid," said Violet as the "first villain."

"We have a little demand for you to follow for us," said Lily as the "second villain."

"Word has it that you know about the mysterious and powerful treasure called the magical orb," said "the first villain." "It has the ability to unite humans and mermaids like you together. And after that happens, they can raise as many Pokémon as they want as friends and family."

"Now tell us where that treasure is!" demanded the "second villain."

"I will never tell you who the treasure is!" shouted the "Magical Mermaid."

"Do it or else!" ordered the "first villain."

"Never!" shouted the "Magical Mermaid."

"Then it's time for us to take you away!" shouted "both villains."

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Daisy continued the story over the P.A. system.

"The Magical Mermaid was forced to aid the villains in the search for the magical orb, which had the remarkable ability to unite mermaids and humans together, allowing them to raise as many Pokémon as friends and family as they wanted. If that orb fell into the wrong hands, then the orb would destroy itself, causing everyone in the sea and on land to fight against one another in undersea wars, in which, there would be no humans left. In other words, they would all drown and cease to exist."

The audience was on the edge of their seats, watching in excitement and wonder to see how the Magical Mermaid would get out of this predicament. All the while, Daisy's voice continued to tell the story on the P.A. system.

"The Magical Mermaid and the villains finally found the orb. Then, the villains grabbed it with such force, that the Magical Mermaid had to grab on to it in order to try and foil the villains' plans."

"Now, let go of that orb and be on your merry wet way!" said the "first villain."

"Yeah, get your hands off that magical orb and drift off, like a good little mermaid!" demanded the "second villain."

"Not on your life!" countered the "Magical Mermaid." "This jewel and these Pokémon don't belong to you, and you don't belong here!"

Daisy's voice continued on the P.A. system. "But just when all hope seemed to be lost, a charming and handsome prince arrived to save the day."

Tristan learned that cue from reading the script just before the play and motioned Pikachu to stay backstage until its cue was heard. With that, he put on his own mouthpiece and dove into the water from the top of the diving board, waterproof prince costume and all.

"Okay, hold it right there!" shouted the "prince."

"And who in the ocean are you?!" demanded the "first villain."

"I am the 'handsome prince' the narrator was talking about," he replied, "and I'm here to stop you and save the entire world from your evil!"

Daisy was watching the underwater ballet play from backstage. She was impressed with Tristan and Hillary's acting skills. "For two kids who say they couldn't memorize their lines in an hour, they're sure doing a great job of improvising," she whispered.

"Please help me, 'handsome prince,'" pleaded the "Magical Mermaid." "If you don't, an unstoppable war between the land and sea will consume the entire world! And pure-hearted humans like you will cease to exist in this world!"

"What do you mean, 'Magical Mermaid?'" asked the "prince."

"I'm trying to keep this magical orb from the greedy hands of these villains," grunted the "Mermaid" as she struggled desperately to keep ahold of the magic orb. "Please…you've gotta help me!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

Daisy continued the story over the P.A. just as the audience was on the edge of their seats. "With that desperate plea, the 'prince' dove into the pool with no thought for his own safety. He used his trusty sword to battle the villains. However, they were equal to the occasion as they used their own swords. But they were no match for the 'prince's' excellent swordsmanship and he used it to slacken the villains' grip on the magical orb. He chased them up to the surface and motioned the mermaid to follow him up there and out of the water. After he and the 'mermaid' made their way out of the water, he called for his trusty Pikachu."

"Okay, Pikachu, give them your Thundershock!" commanded the "prince."

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it shot a yellow bolt of electricity from the sacs on its cheeks toward the "villains." Lily and Violet took extra precautions by wearing rubber gloves and drying themselves off before they were hit by Pikachu's attack. So they screamed and acted like they were getting shocked when in fact they were not.

"Let's get out of here!" shouted the "first villain."

"Right behind you!" replied the "second villain."

The two "villains" ran as fast as they could off the stage.

Daisy continued on with the story from the P.A. "Thanks to the 'prince's' act of heroism, the mermaid instantly fell in love with him. They shared their first kiss. As they did, the mermaid transformed into a human."

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge! (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

A spotlight shone on Hillary, giving her the transformation effect. Her fins became legs and feet. She slipped out of her flippers and walked toward Tristan. The audience gasped in awe.

"The 'prince' and 'former mermaid' were married while a family of Seel came up to the surface to watch the ceremony," continued Daisy.

"Seel!" they exclaimed joyously as they clapped their fins.

The other Water Pokémon cried out in joy.

Daisy concluded the story over the P.A. "With the Seel and the other Water Pokémon celebrating along, the newly-wed couple raised a family of Seel and the other Water Pokémon like a family and lived happily ever after. As for the two 'villains,' they had run away from that general area and were never seen again. The end."

The audience cheered and gave a big round of applause for the actors and guest stars.

Daisy, Lily, and Violet came to the front of the stage first and took their bows. Next, Tristan and Pikachu came to the front of the stage and took their bows. Then, Hillary came to the front of the stage and bowed. And finally, the Water Pokémon came up and cried out in joy. It was one of the best shows since Team Rocket came to it on the opening day.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

Tristan, Hillary, and the three Sensational Sisters were back in their regular clothes again after the underwater ballet was over. They were all enjoying burgers and fries at the Pokémon Center's cafeteria when night fell.

"Thank you so much for acting in our underwater ballet," said Daisy. "We totally couldn't have done it without you."

"You two were like totally amazing!" added Lily.

"And you were totally brilliant!" finished Violet.

"Aw, shucks, ladies!" said Tristan, who blushed. "We were just happy it all worked out."

"Tristan has a point there," said Hillary. "I never thought that this play would be so easy to learn in just an hour."

"Now before we go any further," said Daisy, "we were all just curious on why you two came to Cerulean City."

"We came here in the first place so I could compete for another Gym badge," replied Tristan. "Will you have a battle with me?"

"We'd be happy to accept your challenge," said the three Sensational Sisters together.

"Do you know what the rules are for this match?" asked Hillary.

"This Gym match will consist of three one-on-one matches," explained Lily. "The first trainer to win the best two out of three matches will be the winner."

"Got it," said Tristan.

"Let's have our Gym Battle tomorrow and attract some more people," suggested Violet.

"That way our Pokémon will be fully rested and ready for more action," added Lily.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," replied Tristan.

"Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu excitedly.

"Then it's decided," said Daisy. "We'll get a good night's rest and have our Gym battle tomorrow. In the meantime, we'll set up posters for tomorrow's battle."

Daisy, Lily, and Violet bid Tristan and Hillary goodnight and went back to the Gym to set up for the next day.

* * *

 _After a short stint as actors, Tristan and Hillary make new friends in the process. Now with one good night's sleep, Tristan will be ready to face the Sensational Sisters in his second Gym Battle._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	9. Chapter 9: A TRIPLE WET THREAT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 9 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. As always, please feel free to read, review, and ask questions. Feedback is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and his Pokémon friends have a chance to earn another badge from the Cerulean City Gym. But will they be strong enough to defeat the Sensational Sisters?**

 **Chapter 9. A TRIPLE WET THREAT**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _The big day has finally arrived. Tristan and Pikachu are about to take on their next challenge: their second Gym Battle. Will they be successful and earn their second Badge?_

Tristan and Pikachu were up early with the sun the next morning, but they felt that they had some energy to burn. So they went out for a morning run to warm up for their Gym battle.

"Awesome!" said Tristan as he ran with Pikachu. "If we win here, then I'll be another badge closer to entering the Pokémon League!"

"Pika-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

Hillary, on the other hand, was still snoozing away. When she finally woke up, she noticed that Tristan and Pikachu weren't around.

"Tristan must be jogging again so he can be well prepared for his Gym battle," she said sleepily as she went back to sleep for another hour.

* * *

After Tristan finished his jog, he started focusing on his Gym battle, but not before Hillary reminded him that it was time for breakfast.

"Where would your true strength be without a little battle fuel?" said Hillary as she handed him fresh toast and juice.

Tristan shared his breakfast with Pikachu and his other Pokémon and said, "Acting in the underwater ballet was fun, but now I'm ready for a Gym battle."

"Who wouldn't be after how much you jogged this morning?" said Hillary.

"Okay, listen up everyone," said Tristan to his Pokémon. "I'm going to need everything you've got if we want to win today's Gym battle."

Pikachu and Butterfree agreed excitedly. Pidgeotto acted like it wasn't interested at all in listening to Tristan's lengthy pep talk.

"We're going to be in three one-on one matches," explained Tristan. "If we can win at least two out of three, then we'll win. Are you with me?"

Pikachu and Butterfree shouted happily, but Pidgeotto just stood there, totally bored.

"That means you, too, Pidgeotto," said Tristan.

Pidgeotto just turned away and ignored him.

"It looks like Pidgeotto doesn't want to help you," said Hillary sadly.

"I know, but I don't know what I could have done wrong," said Tristan, who by this time was getting really concerned.

Pikachu tapped Tristan on the shoulder.

Tristan looked and saw that Pikachu was flexing its muscles to show that he shouldn't be getting concerned. "You're right, Pikachu," he said. "We shouldn't let little things like that concern us, because we're after the big prize—a Gym Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" said Pikachu.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary arrived at the Gym a little while later. Daisy, Lily, and Violet were waiting for them and welcomed them warmly.

"Did you sleep well, Tristan?" asked Daisy.

"You bet," answered Tristan. "I've been looking forward to this Gym battle for awhile. I can't wait to get started."

"I can, like, totally understand your excitement," said Violet.

"But shouldn't we wait for the spectators to get here first?" added Lily.

"As you know, we put up new posters to promote our Gym battle," finished Daisy. She motioned Tristan and Hillary to look at the new poster featuring Water Pokémon battling with the three Sensational Sisters in the background.

"Now that's what I call a big battle event!" said Hillary.

"I agree," said Tristan. "Having more people here will make this battle an ever better one."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998)_

Crowds of excited people gathered at the Gym to see the Gym battle. After yesterday's success of _The Magical Mermaid_ , they were even more excited to see lots of Pokémon action.

Inside the Gym, Tristan was warming himself up for the battle. Hillary was in the front row of the bleachers, cheering him on. The rest of the crowd gathered inside the gym and sat on the bleachers. As it turned out, there were more people than seats, so it was standing room only. The battlefield consisted of a swimming pool with floating platforms.

Tristan was standing on a blue platform on one side of the battlefield. He was starting to get a little nervous. "I've never seen so many people in one place before," he said, noticing the huge crowd. Then he felt a tap on his leg.

It was Pikachu. "Pika pika!" it said, flexing its muscles.

"You're right, buddy," said Tristan. "We'll just show these ladies what friendship and trust can do."

Finally, a battle judge came in. He was wearing long black pants and a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Pokéball symbol on it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, "thank you for waiting and welcome to the Cerulean City Gym!"

The audience roared with excitement.

"The Gym battle between Tristan the challenger, and the Cerulean City Gym Leaders, Violet, Lily, and Daisy, will now begin!" he continued. "This battle will consist of three one-on-one matches, one for each of the ladies. No substitutions are allowed by any of the trainers during the battles. The match will be over when one side wins the best two out of three."

"I'm up first!" said Violet as she leaped to the other side of the battlefield. She threw a Pokéball. "Go, Horsea!"

A bright white light thrust out of the Pokéball and materialized into a light blue seahorse with scales.

"I've never seen that Pokémon before," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

" _Horsea: The Dragon Pokémon_ ," it said. " _If it senses danger, it will vigorously spray water or a special type of ink from its mouth_."

"Butterfree, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Pokéball.

Butterfree materialized from the bright white light that shot out of it.

"Let the battle begin!" called the judge as he raised both his red and green flags in the air.

"Butterfree, use your Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Butterfree charged forward and flew towards Horsea, but Violet was ready for it.

"Quick, Horsea, use your Smokescreen now!" called Violet.

A black cloud of smoke shot out of Horsea's mouth, just like the Pokédex said.

Butterfree found it hard to see because of it.

"Butterfree, flap your wings to blow the smoke away!" instructed Tristan.

Butterfree vigorously flapped its wings. Sure enough, the smoke dissipated. But Horsea disappeared, too.

"Wait! Where'd it go?" said Tristan. He was frantically searching for where Horsea disappeared to. Little did he know that Horsea used its Smokescreen attack for cover and dove underwater.

"Okay, Horsea, Water Gun!" shouted Violet.

At Violet's command, a stream of water shot out from underwater and scored a direct hit, causing Butterfree to fall into the water.

Butterfree struggled in vain to stay afloat because its wings were soaked with so much water.

"Butterfree's in big trouble!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Horsea, Tackle attack!" ordered Violet.

Horsea charged toward Butterfree at frightening speed and rammed into Butterfree, knocking it out.

"Butterfree, no!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Butterfree is unable to battle! Horsea is the winner! Violet wins the first match!" declared the judge as he raised his red flag.

The crowd cheered at the declaration. They were already excited from watching the first battle.

"Way to go, Horsea! I guessed our younger sister Misty raised you better than we thought she did!" said Violet as she spun around and hugged it.

Tristan dashed from platform to platform toward his injured Butterfree and cradled it in his arms. "Are you okay, Butterfree?" he asked.

"Free…" it said weakly.

"Don't worry about it, Butterfree," Tristan said. "You deserve a nice rest." He aimed the Pokéball's button toward Butterfree, which de-materialized into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"I guess I'm next," said Lily, as she stepped on the red platform.

"Bring it on, Lily!" replied Tristan as he returned to the green platform on the other side of the battlefield.

"Go, Goldeen!" shouted Lily as she threw her Pokéball.

From the white light, the Pokémon materialized into what appeared to be an orange and white fish with a horn on its forehead.

"Cool! What's that?" asked Tristan, as he took out his Pokédex again.

" _Goldeen: The Goldfish Pokémon_ ," it said. " _When it is time for them to lay eggs, they can be seen swimming up rivers and falls in large groups_."

 _I'd better be careful,_ thought Tristan. _That horn on Goldeen's forehead could do a lot of damage. And I'm already down by one match, so I'd better make this one count._ He turned to his Pikachu, who was standing beside him. "Are you ready, Pikachu?" he asked it.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

"Pika!" it responded and jumped onto one of the floating platforms with determination.

"It looks like Pikachu has the advantage this time," said Hillary. "Electric-types have the advantage over Water-types. Plus, water conducts electricity."

Tristan agreed with her. "That's right, and since Goldeen spends most of its time in the water, Pikachu's Thundershock attack should be able to take it out in one fell swoop," he said.

"Begin!" declared the judge, raising both flags.

"Okay, Pikachu, Thundershock!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it shot a yellow bolt of electricity toward Goldeen.

"Goldeen, dive underwater!" yelled Lily.

Goldeen dove underwater to avoid Pikachu's attack.

"Now, Goldeen, Supersonic!" shouted Lily.

Goldeen then jumped out of the water. Goldeen's horn glowed light blue and thin blue circles shot out from it.

Everyone in the audience, including Hillary, had to cover their ears because Goldeen's Supersonic attack was so loud. It was louder on the battlefield for Tristan and Pikachu as they covered their ears as well. Lily didn't cover her ears because she could handle the decibels of Goldeen's attack.

"What is **THAT**?!" bellowed Tristan as he covered his ears.

"Now, Goldeen, Horn Attack!" instructed Lily.

Goldeen aimed its horn and charged toward a defenseless Pikachu, who was still covering its ears.

"Pikachu, listen! Use your Quick Attack to dodge it!" yelled Tristan.

Even though Pikachu had its ears covered, it could still hear Tristan's voice inside its head, guiding it along the way. At that instant, Pikachu sped out of Goldeen's way just in time with a white line trailing behind it.

"Don't let it get away! Keep aiming toward Pikachu with your Horn Attack, Goldeen!" commanded Lily.

"Pikachu, keep dodging with Quick Attack!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu sped from platform to platform to avoid Goldeen's Horn Attack. Again and again, Goldeen charged, but not once did it hit Pikachu. Eventually, Goldeen tired out.

"Now's our chance, Pikachu!" shouted Tristan. "Thundershock attack!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as another bolt of electricity shot out of its body toward Goldeen. It successfully landed a clean hit.

"That's awesome!" said Hillary excitedly. "Goldeen was still wet from swimming in the water, which caused Thundershock to deal double the damage!"

Goldeen fell back into the water and came back up above the surface with swirls in its eyes. The Pokémon had fainted.

"Goldeen is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner! The second match goes to the challenger!" declared the judge as he raised his green flag in the air. The crowd cheered again.

Pikachu leaped into Tristan's arms and was very happy indeed.

"Way to go, Pikachu! You were outstanding!" said Tristan as he hugged it.

"Pika, Pika-chu!" replied Pikachu.

Daisy stepped on the red platform. She was impressed with Tristan's way of battling so far.

"Your Pokémon look like they've been raised well," said Daisy. "However, just because we're friends, doesn't mean that I will go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want you to," replied Tristan. "Show me what you've got."

"Now, you're going to see another Pokémon that Misty was so kind to lend to us. Go, Starmie!" she called as she threw a Pokéball.

The Pokémon that materialized from the bright white light looked like two starfish fused together: one on the front and one on the back. There was also a core on its front.

Tristan scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

" _Starmie: The Mysterious Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Starmie's core is said to glow in seven colors. Some people regard this Pokémon as a type of jewelry_."

"It sounds to me that Misty is a great Water Pokémon Trainer," said Tristan to Daisy. "But I can't spend the day making compliments. I came here in the first place to win a Gym Badge, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"That's the spirit, Tristan," replied Daisy. "With an attitude like that, you're going to do well in this last battle. Now what's your final Pokémon going to be?"

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw its Pokéball.

Pidgeotto appeared from the bright white light that shot out of it, but still didn't have its heart in it. It just turned away from the action.

"I need your help, Pidgeotto," said Tristan. "I'm counting on you to win this battle for us."

Pidgeotto just stood there, ignoring what Tristan said.

"If you're not going to make the first move, then we will! Starmie, Tackle attack!" yelled Daisy.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))_

Starmie charged toward Pidgeotto, spinning as it went.

"Quick, Pidgeotto, get out of the way!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgeotto flew up out of the way all right, but didn't do so because of Tristan's orders. It just felt confident that Starmie couldn't touch it in the air.

"Stay on it, Starmie!" instructed Daisy.

Starmie kept spinning and charged at Pidgeotto, but every time Pidgeotto dodged the attack. Then, Starmie bounced off one of the platforms and became airborne. It was headed straight for Pidgeotto like a spinning shuriken!

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack now!" yelled Tristan.

But Pidgeotto just flew there, ignoring what Tristan just said.

"Come on, Pidgeotto!" shouted Tristan. "Get out of there!"

But it was too late. Starmie struck Pidgeotto head on, causing it to crash on one of the platforms.

"Now, Starmie, use your Water Gun attack with feeling!" instructed Daisy.

Starmie shot a stream of water from one of its ten points toward a defenseless Pidgeotto.

Pidgeotto was struck head on by the full force of the attack and was sent flying straight toward the wall.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on whose side you were on, Tristan was the only obstacle in the way.

"Don't worry, Pidgeotto! I've got you!" called Tristan as he got into position to catch it.

Pidgeotto flew into Tristan's arms, but they both fell into the water as a result.

"Tristan, are you okay?" asked Daisy.

"Please say something!" shouted Hillary.

"Pikapi!" called Pikachu.

Tristan and Pidgeotto were both all wet. Everyone in the audience gasped with surprise. They had no idea that a trainer would go the extra mile to save his or her own Pokémon. Even the judge was astounded.

Pidgeotto opened its eyes and saw that Tristan had caught it just in time.

"Are you okay, Pidgeotto?" asked Tristan, worriedly.

Pidgeotto cawed weakly, but happily. It was the first time that it was shown compassion: something it never knew anything about.

"Listen, Pidgeotto," said Tristan. "I may not be the very best trainer yet, or the strongest. I'm bound to make mistakes and get into trouble sometimes, but I try to do all I can to make sure that all my Pokémon are the very best they can be. We've been together since you were a little Pidgey, and we've come a very long way already since then. All I want is to be good enough for you. Nothing would make me happier if we can work together as a team. Will you please let me do that with you?"

Pidgeotto thought hard about what Tristan just said, and was inspired by his speech.

 _(Music Cue: Boy Trainer Appears)_

Finally, Pidgeotto nodded and squawked with a happy, but determined response. It flew back into the battle with new strength.

"All right!" said Tristan. "I knew you could do it, Pidgeotto." Then, he faced Daisy. "Let's get back into this battle!"

"Okay, Tristan!" said Daisy with determination. "We'll see how well Pidgeotto does with handling Starmie's Tackle attack! Go, Starmie!"

Starmie charged toward Pidgeotto while spinning, but Tristan wasn't about to fall for the same trick twice.

"Pidgeotto, Gust attack!" commanded Tristan.

This time, Pidgeotto did exactly what Tristan told it without question. It squawked and furiously flapped its wings. It created a huge gust of wind from them. Starmie found it hard to manage and was blown back into the water.

Hillary and Pikachu were impressed. "Do you see that, Pikachu?" she asked it. "Pidgeotto's listening to Tristan!"

"Pika Pika!" replied Pikachu in agreement.

"Hang on, Starmie!" shouted Daisy. "Use your Water Gun!"

Starmie resurfaced and shot a full-power stream of water at Pidgeotto, but Pidgeotto dodged the attack with ease.

"Awesome, Pidgeotto!" said Tristan. "Finish this with Quick Attack!"

Pidgeotto charged toward Starmie with a white line trailing behind it at full speed. It rammed into Starmie, causing it to fly right into the wall. It fell back into the water, much to Daisy's shock.

"Starmie!" shouted Daisy.

Starmie's core flashed on and off in a red color and was knocked out.

"Starmie is unable to battle!" declared the judge and raised his green flag. "Pidgeotto is the winner, and the winner of this Gym battle is Tristan!"

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

The audience cheered and gave a standing ovation.

"We did it, Pidgeotto!" cried Tristan happily.

Pidgeotto squawked a happy reply back to its trainer. It felt so happy to be in a battle and win so much that it wanted to do it again.

"That was great!" said Hillary. "Not only did Tristan win, but he got Pidgeotto to listen to him!"

Pikachu agreed with her.

* * *

"How's Starmie doing?" asked Tristan to Daisy when he and the others stood outside the Gym sometime later.

"Starmie just needs some rest and it will be just fine," replied Daisy. "That was a really great battle."

Lily and Violet agreed with her. They never expected that turn of events before, especially when they witnessed how far Tristan was willing to go to save Pidgeotto.

"Even though, we had Misty's Horsea and Starmie to help us in our battle today, you have demonstrated the kind of compassion that all trainers should give to their Pokémon," said Daisy. She took out a special case and opened it. There was something that resembled a raindrop inside it. She took it out for Tristan to see.

"What's that?" asked Tristan.

"This is a Cascade Badge," explained Daisy. "It is proof that you were truly victorious at the Cerulean Gym. This is for you." She handed the Badge to Tristan.

"I don't know what to say, Daisy, except 'thank you.'" said Tristan. He raised his new badge in the air and proclaimed, "Yes! I got a Cascade Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" replied Pikachu.

"That's awesome, Tristan," said Hillary. "Now, you're six badges away from qualifying for the Pokémon League."

"Where is my next challenge going to be?" asked Tristan.

"I suggest you take your next Gym challenge in Vermilion City," suggested Daisy. "It's got a port, it's near the ocean, and it has a cruise liner that just came in after the St. Anne sank to the bottom of the sea."

"What is it?" asked Tristan.

"It's the S.S. Anne, of course!" replied Daisy, Lily, and Violet together.

"It must be the smaller version of the St. Anne," said Hillary, "but I think we ought to explore the rest of Cerulean City first. I want to see all that I can on my travels so that one day, I will become a trainer just like Tristan is."

"That's the spirit, Hillary," said Daisy.

"Well, we should probably get going, ladies," said Tristan.

"Goodbye, Tristan! Goodbye, Hillary! Goodbye, Pikachu!" called Daisy, Lily, and Violet as they waved. "Good luck on your journey! We hope to see you again soon!"

"Goodbye, ladies!" called Tristan and Hillary. "We will!"

"Pika Pika!" called Pikachu as it waved.

* * *

 _Now that Tristan has earned Pidgeotto's trust, he was able to acquire his second Gym Badge, and so, he and Hillary continue their journey, thinking of new friends and new adventures that lie ahead._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	10. Chapter 10: GETTING A NEW BULB

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 10 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their way through the Kanto region. Melanie from the Hidden Village makes an appearance in this chapter, and so do Butch and Cassidy. As always, please feel free to read, review, and leave feedback. Questions are welcome, too.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet an injured Bulbasaur, but it doesn't want to have anything to do with humans thanks to two suspicious characters! Who are these two characters, and will Tristan be able to earn Bulbasaur's trust?**

 **Chapter 10: GETTING A NEW BULB**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After celebrating Tristan's latest victory at the Cerulean Gym, he and Hillary continue on their journey while taking a tour of Cerulean City._

"I don't know how you managed to get Pidgeotto to listen to you, but because of that, you were able to get a Gym Badge," remarked Hillary.

"All I did was save Pidgeotto and earn its trust," replied Tristan. "Being a Pokémon Trainer is a big responsibility. When you're a Trainer, you have to put your Pokémon's needs ahead of your own and do whatever you can to help them out."

"Wow, big bro. That sounds hard," said Tristan. "I'm not so sure I'm ready to be a Trainer like you."

"Don't worry about that, sis," said Tristan. "With traveling comes experience. And I'm sure the two of us will learn more as we travel from town to town. And by the time our journey through the Kanto region is over, you will be ready to become a Trainer in no time."

Pikachu agreed with Tristan.

"Speaking of being a Trainer, maybe Grandma knows a thing or two about becoming a Trainer," said Hillary. "Maybe we should give her a call."

"That's a good idea," replied Tristan. He and Hillary dashed over to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City M18A)_

"Tristan is absolutely right, dear," said Tristan and Hillary's grandmother, Veronica, on the video phone to Hillary. "Being a Trainer is a big responsibility, but it's also a good idea to have fun playing with your Pokémon."

"Come to think of it," said Hillary, "I haven't seen Tristan play with his Pokémon very much."

"Well, it isn't like I haven't been having those battles with Team Rocket at Mount Moon!" protested Tristan.

"Now, now, you two," said Veronica, "just because you've been training your Pokémon, doesn't mean you can't have fun playing with them. Try playing a game of Frisbee with them, or perhaps tag. Your grandfather's been teaching Eevee how to play with crossword puzzles back here in New Bark Town. Of course, Eevee just likes getting as much attention as it can from the both of us, even though it doesn't know about crossword puzzles."

"Is giving attention to your Pokémon the same as playing with them?" asked Tristan.

"Precisely," answered Veronica. "That's all there is to it."

Just then, the doorbell on Veronica's end rang.

"Oh, dear," said Veronica. "It sounds like your grandfather forgot his key again. I'd better let him in and let you two go for now, but remember to always have fun."

"We will, Grandma," said Tristan and Hillary together. "We love you."

"Pika pika!" added Pikachu.

"I love you, too, kids," said Veronica. "Watch out for them, Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu.

Tristan hung up the phone and the screen turned off.

Suddenly, both he and Hillary noticed a young woman rushing inside the Pokémon Center, panting as she went, with an injured Pokémon in her arms.

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

"Please, Nurse Joy, you've got to help me!" she begged.

"What's the matter, miss?" asked Nurse Joy.

"This Bulbasaur has been injured, but I don't think these were natural injuries," replied the woman. "I think somebody hurt this Bulbasaur on purpose; however, I didn't see who did it."

Nurse Joy took a look at the scratches and bruises on Bulbasaur and gasped.

"That's terrible!" she exclaimed. "We'll begin treating it right away."

At that instant, Tristan and Hillary came quickly to the front desk.

"What's going on, Nurse Joy?" asked Tristan.

"Somebody intentionally hurt this Bulbasaur!" replied Nurse Joy.

"That's awful!" gasped Tristan. "Who would do such a thing!?"

"I don't know, but there's no time to answer that now," answered Nurse Joy. She turned to a Chansey, who was standing by. "Chansey, rush this Pokémon to the operating room."

"Chansey!" it replied happily.

Bulbasaur was hoisted onto a stretcher and was wheeled into the emergency care room.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Tower 1997-1998 M61A)_

Tristan and Hillary were watching Bulbasaur through a window some time later. They were still puzzled about who would hurt an innocent little Pokémon.

"I feel sorry for that Bulbasaur," said Tristan sadly.

"Me, too," agreed Hillary. "I don't know what it could have done to deserve such pain and misery."

"I wish I knew more about Bulbasaur," said Tristan. "Then, maybe, just maybe, I can help it. I've got to help it somehow."

"Maybe you can, Tris," replied Hillary. "Just check your pocket."

Tristan suddenly remembered. "My Pokédex!" he said. "Great idea, sis! If there's a way I can learn about Bulbasaur, Dexter can tell me all about it!" He took out his Pokédex and scanned Bulbasaur with it.

" _Bulbasaur: The Seed Pokémon_ ," it said. " _It can go for days without eating a single morsel. It stores energy in the bulb on its back_."

"It doesn't look like this Bulbasaur has a lot of energy right now," said Hillary.

"No wonder," replied Tristan, "after the way it was treated like that."

"How's Bulbasaur?" asked a voice.

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see the same woman who brought it in earlier.

"Who are you?" asked Tristan.

"Oh, sorry," said the woman. "My name's Melanie. I live in a place called the Hidden Village."

"I've heard about that place before when I was growing up," said Tristan. "Isn't that the place where you've been nursing weak and injured Pokémon back to health?"

"Yes it is," answered Melanie. "Another Bulbasaur came to the village and was nursed back to health several months ago, but was very protective of other sick Pokémon in the village, and none of the other Pokémon wanted to leave because it was safe, but to me, it was a little too safe. This Bulbasaur was eventually caught by a kind Trainer named Ash quite some time ago. It was just pure luck that another Bulbasaur came to the Hidden Village in such terrible shape."

"If you think that's pure luck, just look at Bulbasaur's eyes," said Hillary. She and the others noticed that Bulbasaur was weakly glaring at all three of them through the window. It seemed to be very angry.

"I hate to say it, but it looks like Bulbasaur isn't very trusting of humans after the experience it just had," said Tristan.

"There has to be something we can do to convince it to trust us," said Hillary.

"What if we promise to give it a little time alone for awhile as soon as it's better?" suggested Melanie.

"But we can't just leave it alone forever," protested Tristan.

"But what can we do about it, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Since whoever did this to Bulbasaur is still out there, it's going to be tough to gain Bulbasaur's trust."

"If I was able to gain Pidgeotto's trust, I can gain Bulbasaur's trust, also," insisted Tristan. "You will have to trust me on this whether you like it or not."

 _(Music Cue: The Enigma)_

Just then, Nurse Joy came out of the operating room. She had good news and bad news.

"Bulbasaur's going to be just fine," she said, "but I'm afraid it's going to take a little while to lose the mental pain."

"Mental pain?" repeated Hillary.

"It's a way of feeling hurt inside without actually being physically hurt," explained Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy, would you mind if I spent a little time with Bulbasaur?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know, Tristan," replied Nurse Joy. "Whoever hurt Bulbasaur in the first place caused it to be full of mistrust towards all humans."

"But I think I can help it trust me," insisted Tristan. "After all, I managed to gain Pidgeotto's trust in my most recent Gym Battle." He paused for a second. "Please understand, Nurse Joy, this isn't just something that I want to do. It's also something I feel that I have to do. I know it won't be easy, and it might be dangerous, but I'll do whatever I have to do to be friends with Bulbasaur. I won't do anything to hurt it. I promise."

When Nurse Joy heard the words "I promise," she didn't need any more convincing.

"Okay, Tristan, you've got yourself a deal," she said. "But be sure to use extreme caution as to how you befriend it." She walked with Tristan toward the operating room.

"Good luck," whispered Hillary.

In the operating room, Tristan walked cautiously toward the bed where Bulbasaur was lying in. Hillary and Melanie watched through the window.

"Hello, Bulbasaur," whispered Tristan. "How are you doing, buddy?"

Bulbasaur just glared at Tristan, as if it was expecting him to hurt it.

"Please don't be afraid, Bulbasaur," whispered Tristan. "I'm not here to hurt you."

But Bulbasaur didn't listen. It leaped out of the bed at that instant.

"Wait, Bulbasaur!" said Tristan. "You haven't gotten all of your strength back yet! You need to rest!"

Bulbasaur suddenly charged and rammed into Tristan, who was taken by surprise. He was sent flying backward into the wall, much to Nurse Joy's shock.

"Tristan, no!" cried Nurse Joy.

Hillary and Melanie were worried, too, and so was Pikachu. Nobody was expecting Bulbasaur to have the strength to muster a Tackle attack with so much force, even after getting seriously hurt.

Tristan winced in pain, but suddenly smiled.

"That was great, Bulbasaur," said Tristan as he struggled to his feet. "I've never seen a Tackle attack this strong before."

 _(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Bulbasaur then extended two vines from its bulb and began to whip Tristan with them, hurting him all the while. It was using its Vine Whip attack to protect itself. Nurse Joy found this to be a dangerous situation.

"It's no use, Tristan!" said Nurse Joy. "Get back now!"

"No way!" grunted Tristan, who was filled with determination, even though he was getting hit repeatedly with Bulbasaur's Vine Whip. "I've never backed down from a challenge, and I won't start now. I made it this far, and I won't stop until I finally get through to Bulbasaur!"

There was no stopping Tristan now. Once his mind was set on something, there was no way to change it otherwise. Even though he kept getting whipped by Bulbasaur's Vine Whip, he continued on anyway.

"Those vines look (ow!) powerful, too (ow!)," grunted Tristan. He slowly went forward towards Bulbasaur, despite the fact that it was still using Vine Whip on him, and hurting him.

"I just want you to know that I understand your feeling of humans and why you don't like them," he continued. "But I also want you to know that you're not alone. There are some people out there like the ones who hurt you, and I've dealt with them before, but I'm not like them at all. I just want to be your friend. I also have friends who want to be your friends, too. We don't want to hurt you, we just want to help you. Okay?"

As Tristan got closer to Bulbasaur, and as he talked things out with it, he noticed its Vine Whip getting weaker and weaker. The weaker it got, the less pain he felt.

"That's it, Bulbasaur," said Tristan as he got even closer. "Just take it easy, and I promise to treat you like family."

When Bulbasaur heard the word "family," it slackened the pace of its Vine Whip and eventually stopped.

Everyone else sighed with relief.

"One more thing, Bulbasaur," added Tristan. "If you ever find yourself in trouble, I promise to do everything I can to help you."

He gently patted Bulbasaur on the forehead.

Bulbasaur was still shaking when he touched it, but noticed that it wasn't being hurt at all. Then, Bulbasaur collapsed due to being exhausted from continually attacking Tristan.

"Bulbasaur!" gasped Tristan. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sure it's just exhausted, but let's get it back in bed so it can rest," Nurse Joy advised.

She and Tristan put Bulbasaur back into the hospital bed and gently tucked it in. Then, they put some Pokémon food on a table next to the bed in case it got hungry.

Nurse Joy was impressed. "You were very brave to talk to Bulbasaur like that," she said. "I'll let you keep an eye on Bulbasaur for a little while. Would you like that?"

"Yes, please, Nurse Joy," answered Tristan.

Nurse Joy left the room, leaving Tristan and Bulbasaur alone. He kept a close eye on it the entire time.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Nighttime came. Tristan emerged from the operating room several hours later after giving Bulbasaur the Pokémon food while helping it fall fast asleep. Hillary and Malanie were waiting for him.

"Is Bulbasaur doing well?" asked Melanie.

"Bulbasaur's doing much better," answered Tristan, "but it needs to rest in order to get itself back up to speed."

"That's good news," said Hillary. She noticed the whip marks on Tristan's arm. She seemed surprised. "What happened in there? It looks like Bulbasaur didn't cooperate with you at first."

"Oh, Bulbasaur was just being protective," explained Tristan. "But we talked things out and now everything should be fine."

"I guess Bulbasaur did a good job of "whipping" you into shape, didn't it?" giggled Melanie.

"It's a good thing you weren't too tired or "whipped" to deal with Bulbasaur," added Hillary, who was also giggling.

"Ha-ha, very funny," said Tristan, sarcastically. Then, he got back to being serious. "Anyway, I think it's best that we leave Bulbasaur alone for the night. It's been stressed out enough having to deal with whoever hurt it and then me." Then, he yawned and said, "Besides, we could all use some shuteye. Don't you think so?"

"I agree," answered Hillary. She turned to Melanie. "Why don't you stay with us at the Pokémon Center tonight?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I live just next door to the Pokémon Center," replied Melanie. "I'll come back tomorrow to see how Bulbasaur's doing."

"Okay, then," said Tristan.

He and Hillary bid Melanie goodnight as she walked out of the Pokémon Center. Then they both went to bed themselves and fell fast asleep with Pikachu not far behind.

* * *

Tristan was the first one up the next morning. He wanted to see how Bulbasaur was doing, but when he got to the window to check on it, it was gone, and he didn't know where. He gasped in horror and frantically searched the entire center, but to no avail. He dashed back inside the bedroom where Hillary was sleeping.

"Hillary, wake up! We have an emergency!" panted Tristan as he shook Hillary out of a sound sleep.

"Must you always wake me up for the smallest reason?" said Hillary grumpily. She didn't like to be awakened by anyone.

"Bulbasaur's disappeared!" shouted Tristan.

Hillary burst wide awake at once. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"I've looked everywhere for Bulbasaur, but I can't find it anywhere!" said Tristan. He was still breathing heavily.

"Come on, Tristan. We've got to search the entire city!" suggested Hillary.

"Pidgeotto can help us with that," replied Tristan as he opened a window and released Pidgeotto from its Pokéball. It was awaiting his orders.

"We need your help, Pidgeotto," said Tristan. "Go look for Bulbasaur."

Without hesitation, Pidgeotto squawked and flew off.

"Let's get dressed and start looking as well," suggested Hillary. "We need to alert Melanie of the situation."

Tristan agreed with her. He and Hillary got dressed and ran to Melanie's house as fast as they could. They alerted her to Bulbasaur's disappearance and she quickly joined them in the search.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bulbasaur was taking a nice walk around Cerulean City. It was feeling much better and was thinking about its previous experiences from the night before, particularly with Tristan. It was awestruck at how far Tristan was willing to go in order to comfort it, even through its Vine Whip. It was wondering if Tristan would be the one it would trust enough to travel around with.

Pidgeotto was still flying around the city, hoping to see Bulbasaur from the sky. Suddenly, its keen eyes spotted Bulbasaur below. Pidgeotto made a 180-degree turn and started looking for Tristan to alert him of Bulbasaur's whereabouts.

Suddenly, a mechanical arm shot out and grabbed Bulbasaur from behind. It was placed inside a metal cage, much to the amusement of two people.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

One person, who was a woman, had long blonde hair and pink pointy earrings. The other, who was a man, had short turquoise hair. They were both wearing black uniforms with a red letter R on their fronts.

"You didn't really think that you'd get away from us that easily, did you?" said the woman.

"You're coming with us, pal, whether you like it or not!" said the man.

Bulbasaur glared at the two people. It was very angry, indeed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Pikachu, Hillary, and Melanie managed to find Officer Jenny and alerted her of Bulbasaur's disappearance from the Pokémon Center. She didn't seem very surprised by the story.

"Come to think of it," said Officer Jenny, "there have been reports of two people in Cerulean City stealing rare and powerful Pokémon for their own selfish purposes lately. It's possible that these two may have been the ones who wanted Bulbasaur in the first place. Bulbasaur are very hard to come by, especially in the wild."

"Who would want Bulbasaur?" asked Tristan.

"Well, we're not sure about that just yet, but whoever it is must be stopped," answered Officer Jenny.

Just then, Pidgeotto flew to the scene and saw Tristan and the others.

"Did you find Bulbasaur, Pidgeotto?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked with enthusiasm and pointed toward the direction where it first found Bulbasaur.

"Let's go, everyone," said Tristan, as he and the others followed Pidgeotto to Bulbasaur's location.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bulbasaur was still glaring at the two people who trapped it inside the cage. Bulbasaur tried to touch it, but discovered that it was full of electricity and got zapped. The two people laughed hysterically.

"You know, this is like taking candy from a baby!" said the woman.

"You said it," replied the man. "As soon as we get Bulbasaur back to headquarters, we're going to be very rich!"

"Hold it!" said a voice. The man and woman turned to see the voice belonged to Tristan. Hillary, Melanie, and Officer Jenny were with him.

"You two are under arrest for stealing that Bulbasaur!" declared Officer Jenny as she took out a pair of handcuffs.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Motto 1997-1998 (M20B (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters")))_

"Oh, really?" said the woman. "Well, then, prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!" said the man. Then they recited a motto, but this one sounded meaner than the one that Tristan and Hillary heard on Mount Moon.

"To infect the world with devastation."

"To blight all peoples in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love."

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch!"

"We're Team Rocket circling Earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!" said another Pokémon as it stood in front of Butch and Cassidy. It looked like a rat with huge teeth, long whiskers, and a long, thin tail.

"Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan angrily.

Officer Jenny was surprised. "You know them?" she asked.

"Actually, I have never seen these two before, but I know these crooks are always up to no good," said Tristan.

"We've battled other Team Rocket members on Mount Moon, including Jessie, James, and Meowth." added Hillary. "They were trying to steal Pokémon fossils at the time."

"And all this time, it sounds like Bulbasaur was being mistreated by Cassidy and Botch!" finished Melanie.

Butch was clearly annoyed that he was called by the wrong name. "Arrrrgh! The name is Butch!" he exclaimed.

"Let go of Bulbasaur right now!" demanded Tristan.

"Sorry, but this Bulbasaur belongs to us, so get used to it," replied Cassidy. "After our latest plan on Mandarin Island failed, we had devised a plan to return to Kanto and find some rare Pokémon. And as luck would have it, we managed to find this rare beauty." She turned to Raticate, who was standing by. "Raticate, Tackle attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Rivalry Revival"))_

Raticate went into a full-body charge attack toward Tristan and the others, but he was ready for it.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked and charged toward Raticate with a white line trailing behind it. It rammed into Raticate and sent it flying toward Cassidy, causing them both to knock each other out and drop Bulbasaur's cage, thus allowing Bulbasaur to escape from it.

Bulbasaur ran to Tristan with an excited look on its face. It was obviously happy to see him.

"Are you all right, Bulbasaur?" asked Tristan.

Bulbasaur nodded at Tristan, and then turned around and glared at Butch and Cassidy.

"I think it's mad," quivered Butch.

"Let's get out of here!" trembled Cassidy.

They both started making a run for it.

"Come back here!" demanded Officer Jenny.

Tristan had an idea. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip attack now!" commanded Tristan.

At that instant, Bulbasaur shot two green vines from the bulb on its back and extended them long enough to grab hold of the fleeing Butch and Cassidy. It then wrapped the vines around the two crooks, tying them up. It was a very firm grip. They weren't going anywhere…except to jail in another officer's paddy wagon, which sped off with the two criminals inside.

Officer Jenny then turned her attention to Tristan, Hillary, and Melanie. "I'd like to thank you all for putting Cerulean City's crime spree to an end," she said. "If it wasn't for you, these two criminals would have continued their devious ways."

"Don't thank us, Officer Jenny," said Hillary.

"Yeah, Bulbasaur's the one who did most of the work," put in Tristan.

"And it knew just what to do to whip these two," finished Melanie.

"I guess that's true," replied Officer Jenny. She turned to Bulbasaur. "Thank you so much, Bulbasaur. On behalf of the Cerulean City Police Department, I salute you." She raised her right hand, keeping it straight, and pointed it down toward the ground with her fingers together.

Bulbasaur replied happily.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Back at Melanie's house, Tristan and Hillary watched Melanie evaluate Bulbasaur and Pikachu. They both seemed to like Tristan very much, especially after all that they've been through so far.

"You should be very proud of yourself, Bulbasaur," said Melanie. "You've found a very special friend in Tristan, and I think the both of you will get along very well together." She turned to Tristan. "As for you Tristan," she continued, "I was very impressed with the way you've been taking care of your Pikachu. I would like for you to take this Bulbasaur with you on your journey."

Tristan was surprised. "You mean that?" he asked.

"Of course," replied Melanie. "You were the only one who was able to get through to Bulbasaur and earn its gratitude for helping it out. After being so afraid of humans, it just needed someone with love and compassion to show it that there are people like you out there. Please take Bulbasaur with you and keep showing it all the wonderful things this world has to offer."

"I'd be happy to, Melanie," said Tristan. He turned to Bulbasaur. "Do you want to come with us on our journey?"

Bulbasaur nodded and leaped into Tristan's arms, and was one happy Pokémon.

Tristan took a pose and proudly proclaimed, "I've got a Bulbasaur!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Bulbasaur!" finished Bulbasaur.

"That's awesome, Tristan," said Hillary.

 _With Bulbasaur added to the family, Tristan and Hillary continue on their journey and more exciting adventures!_

* * *

Meanwhile, in another building far away, a man was watching the news and was quite intrigued. It was Giovanni himself.

"Hmmm…" he said. "So, Butch and Cassidy have been arrested yet again. I'll just have to bail them out again when I get to the jail."

 _(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Then, Giovanni noticed Tristan and his new Bulbasaur, who were also on the news. He began to smile.

"That boy I 'helped' some time ago seems to have grown up a lot, and now he's managed to become a Trainer," he said. "This makes things a lot more interesting. Mufufufufufufu."

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	11. Chapter 11: A FIERY NEW FRIEND

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 11 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. Bill from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. Please fee free to read, review, leave feedback, and ask questions.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and his intrepid friends make their way across the Nugget Bridge. But there's something fishy going on. And why is a Charmander following Tristan?**

 **Chapter 11: A FIERY NEW FRIEND**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After welcoming Bulbasaur to the ever-growing group of traveling heroes, Tristan and Hillary continue their journey around and through Cerulean City. Their next challenge: The Nugget Bridge._

"Check it out, Hillary!" said Tristan excitedly as he noticed a sign. "This is our lucky day!"

Hillary read the sign. It said:

 **THIS IS NUGGET BRIDGE.**

 **BEAT ALL FIVE TRAINERS ON IT AND WIN A FABULOUS PRIZE.**

 **THE PRIZE IS A FIERY NEW CHARMANDER.**

 **TODAY ONLY!**

"A Charmander?!" squealed Hillary in delight. "You're right, Tristan. This IS our lucky day: namely, yours! Just think of how much more firepower you'd have if you added Charmander to your already strong team!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" said Tristan, as he, Hillary, and Pikachu dashed onward toward the Nugget Bridge. But little did they know that across the bridge, an orange Pokémon with a flame on its tail was watching them in wonder.

"Are you scared yet, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Do you wanna back out?"

"Are you kidding?" replied Tristan. "Of course not! The only thing I'm scared of is giving these five trainers the defeat of a lifetime, especially with a potential new friend on the line. After all, the more Pokémon friends I make, the more fun we'll have together. And besides, I couldn't get a Charmander at Professor Oak's laboratory back in Pallet Town because the only choice I had was Pikachu."

" _YOU_ seem confident today, Tristan," remarked Hillary.

"Speaking of confident," said Tristan, "I'm confident that the Nugget Bridge covers most of Route 24. If we cross that, I'm sure we can make it to the lighthouse to see Bill."

"Focus, Casanova," said Hillary. "We need to get that Charmander first."

As they spoke, the first of the five trainers appeared on the bridge in front of them.

"Hi there. My name's Cale. I'm a Bug Catcher," he said. "Welcome to Nugget Bridge. Beat us five trainers and win a fabulous prize. Think you've got what it takes?"

"My name''s Tristan, and I say bring it on," said Tristan. "The sooner we can do this, the sooner I can move on to my next challenge and make even more friends."

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Okay, you asked for it!" said Cale. "Go, Caterpie!"

A green worm with red antenna emerged from the bright white light that shot out of the Pokéball.

"Go, Butterfree! I choose you!" shouted Tristan, throwing his Pokéball.

Butterfree materialized from the white light that shot out of its Pokéball.

"Caterpie, Tackle attack!" ordered Cale.

Caterpie charged toward Butterfree in a full-body style attack.

"Butterfree, Confusion attack!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and Caterpie's outline glowed in a light purple color.

Caterpie rose into the air, and with Butterfree's forward thrust from its head, Caterpie was tossed back down toward the ground. It had been knocked out.

"Caterpie, return!" said Cale as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Caterpie.

A red beam of energy shot out and transformed Caterpie into a red energy field, which shot back inside the ball.

"I'm ready for your next Pokémon, whatever it is," said Tristan as he waited patiently.

"Weedle, go!" shouted Cale as he threw another Pokéball.

Weedle materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Weedle, Poison Sting!" ordered Cale.

Weedle launched itself toward Butterfree with the stinger on its head.

"Butterfree, Confusion!" shouted Tristan.

Once again, Butterfree's eyes glowed purple, just as Weedle's outline did.

Like the Bug Catcher's Caterpie, his Weedle suffered the same fate, causing him to lose the battle.

"Whoo! Good stuff, Tristan!" said Cale.

"Thank you," replied Tristan. "That was a good battle."

"Good luck with the Nugget Bridge challenge!" called Cale as Tristan, Hillary, Butterfree and Pikachu raced away, little suspecting that the same orange fiery Pokémon sneaked over to the other side of the bridge, and was now following them.

They didn't race for long for they stopped right in front of the second trainer, who just happened to be a young lass.

"My name's Ali, and I'm second," she said. "Now it's serious."

"My name is Tristan, Ali, and I accept your challenge," replied Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

"Go, my cute Pidgey!" shouted Ali as she threw her first Pokéball.

Pidgey materialized from the white light that shout out of it.

"Go get it, Pikachu," said Tristan.

"Pika!" replied Pikachu as it jumped in front of him to face the Pidgey.

"Pidgey, Tackle attack now!" ordered Ali.

"Pikachu, Thundershock attack now!" countered Tristan.

Pidgey charged head on toward Pikachu with a full-body Tackle attack, but Pikachu shot a yellow stream of lightning straight at it. Pikachu's Thundershock had scored a direct hit on Pidgey, easily knocking it out.

"Oh, no!" gasped Ali. "I should never have done that!"

"Well done, Pikachu," said Tristan.

"Pika," replied Pikachu. It was sounding rather modest.

"Return, Pidgey!" called Ali as she aimed the Pokéball toward Pidgey, which transformed into a red energy field and disappeared inside.

"This one won't be so easy, Tristan, because I will use my Nidoran!" called Ali as she threw her second Pokéball.

A small blue quadruped rodent-like Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It also had large spiny ears, oversized front teeth, and a pair of whiskers on each cheek.

"What's a Nidoran?" asked Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter says," replied Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

" _Nidoran Female: The Poison Pin Pokémon_ ," it said. " _This mild-mannered Pokémon does not like to fight. Trainers, beware—its small horns secrete venom, and they're smaller than the male's_."

"Wait, so there are two Nidoran?" asked Hillary.

"That's right," replied the lass. "I just caught this little cutie because it acts like a lady."

"Yeah, but what's the difference between the female and the male?" asked Tristan. He pushed a few buttons on his Pokédex and looked up information on the male Nidoran.

" _Nidoran Male: The Poison Pin Pokémon_ ," the Pokédex said. " _Its large ears are always kept upright. If it senses danger, it will attack using Poison Sting_.

Tristan looked and noticed some differences between the two Nidoran. The male Nidoran had a pinkish purple color with darker spots and had a large horn on its forehead. Its horn was larger than the female's.

"I can see why Nidoran is such a unique Pokémon, but I'm ready to continue my battle," said Tristan.

"Yeah, so let's get back to it," replied Ali. "Are you going to stay with Pikachu or are you going to switch your Pokémon?"

Tristan thought for a minute. He noticed that Pikachu hadn't received any damage, but he figured he should save the majority of his strength for when he was at the end of the bridge, and he still had a long way to go.

"You battled enough for now, Pikachu. Why don't you take a little break?" said Tristan.

Pikachu came back to Tristan's side.

Tristan petted Pikachu on the forehead and turned to Butterfree, who was flying right beside him. "Okay, Butterfree, it's your turn," he said.

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard the first time in "Showdown at Dark City"))_

Butterfree flew in front of Tristan, and was ready to face the Nidoran.

"Nidoran, use your Tackle attack now!" shouted Ali.

Nidoran charged toward Butterfree while aiming the horn toward its target.

"Quick, Butterfree, get out of the way!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree climbed and gained altitude, much to the lass's surprise.

"Whoa, that's fast!" gasped Ali.

"Butterfree, Confusion!" commanded Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and Nidoran's outline glowed in a purple color.

Nidoran was lifted up into the sky, and with a forward thrust of Butterfree's head, Nidoran was blown out of sight toward the other side of the bridge, much to Ali's shock.

Tristan was taken by surprise, too.

"Nidoran!" shouted Ali.

"I didn't mean to do that!" gasped Tristan.

"Tristan, I call foul on that last attack!" called Hillary as she blew a referee's whistle.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Tristan.

"I got it from Grandma when she coached a Pokémon team many years ago," replied Hillary.

"What?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"It's okay," said Ali. "I'll just go to the other side of the bridge and grab my Nidoran. I've got to go, but that was a very nice battle." And she made her way to the other side of the Nugget Bridge posthaste.

"Butterfree's Confusion attack is strong, perhaps a little too strong," remarked Hillary.

"But Confusion's been one of my keys to victory in most of my early battles, Hillary," insisted Tristan. "Poison-Type Pokémon like that Nidoran have a big disadvantage against Psychic-Type attacks like Confusion. I didn't mean to blast Nidoran away."

"I know," said Hillary, who was being sympathetic. "I was just giving you a hard time before. That just shows that you've raised your Butterfree very well. I hope you do the same with your other Pokémon, including your new Bulbasaur."

"That's right!" said Tristan. He had almost forgotten that he had caught Bulbasaur recently, and wanted to put its skills to the test. But just then, that same fiery Pokémon who had been following them showed up right behind them. Hillary was very surprised.

 _(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity (Kanto)_

"Hey, Tristan, look!" said Hillary.

Tristan turned around and saw the orange Pokémon. He was just as shocked as Hillary was.

"Isn't that the same Charmander who was supposed to be a prize for defeating the five trainers on the bridge?" he asked.

"It must be!" answered Hillary.

Tristan took out his Pokédex and scanned Charmander.

" _Charmander: The Lizard Pokémon_ ," it said. " _A flame burns at the tip of its tail from birth. The flame makes a sound as it burns, but can only be heard in quiet places_."

"But what's Charmander doing following us?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "It's hard to tell whether it's a wild Pokémon or someone else's Pokémon."

"Well, maybe we should let it come with us anyway," suggested Tristan. "It will be a great way to see if we're both ready to make new friends with Charmander. Plus, it may know something that we don't."

"Good idea," said Hillary.

Charmander was delighted with the idea and followed them toward the third Trainer. The Trainer was a youngster and was wearing a hat.

"My name's Timmy!" he said. "Here's number three! I won't be easy!"

"We'll see about that, Timmy," replied Tristan. "Choose your first Pokémon."

"Go, Rattata!" shouted Timmy as he threw his first Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

A purple mouse with oversized front teeth and curvy tail materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Let's go, Butterfree!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree flew in front of Tristan, ready to battle Rattata.

"Rattata, Quick Attack!" yelled Timmy.

Rattata charged toward Butterfree with a white line trailing behind it. It rammed into Butterfree, but Butterfree shook it off and looked ready for more.

"Hang in there, Butterfree! Give Rattata your Confusion attack!" instructed Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and Rattata's outline glowed in a purple color.

Rattata was lifted up into the air and, with Butterfree's thrust, was tossed back down onto the bridge. Rattata struggled to get up, but its legs gave out, causing it to faint.

"Return, Rattata!" called Timmy as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

Rattata disappeared inside from the red field of energy.

"Butterfree seems to grow stronger with each battle," remarked Hillary.

"You're right, sis," replied Tristan. "But let's not get too carried away just yet."

"Let's go, Ekans!" shouted Timmy as he threw his second Pokéball. A purple snake emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"That's a nice Ekans," said Tristan, "but we're here to battle our way across the Nugget Bridge, so use your Confusion attack, Butterfree!"

Again, Butterfree's eyes glowed purple as wells as Ekans' outline.

Ekans was lifted into the air. With another forward thrust from Butterfree, Ekans was tossed back to the ground. It had been knocked out.

"Ow! Stomped flat!" cried Timmy as he returned Ekans to its Pokéball.

"I guess that's it, isn't it?" said Tristan.

"Not quite," replied Timmy. "Go, Zubat!" He threw his third Pokéball and Zubat materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked like a blue bat with wings and no eyes.

"Butterfree, use your Sleep Powder!" commanded Tristan.

A blue powder was scattered as Butterfree flapped its wings.

Zubat yawned and landed on the ground. It had fallen fast asleep and couldn't be moved.

"I think you're too strong for us, Trainer," said Timmy as he returned Zubat to its Pokéball. "You may proceed to the fourth Trainer and...WHAT?!"

He was totally surprised to see the Charmander who had been following Tristan and Hillary.

"What's Charmander doing following you when it's supposed to be today's prize at the end of the bridge?" Timmy asked.

"Don't ask us," replied Tristan. "We don't know ourselves."

"This is strange, even for this bridge," said Timmy. "Anyway, go on ahead."

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Butterfree raced ahead to the fourth Trainer on the Nugget Bridge with Charmander tagging along. The fourth Trainer was a lass, too.

"My name's Reli. I'm number four. Getting tired?" she asked.

"No way, Reli," replied Tristan. "Let's go."

"I'm the sister of Ali," said the second lass. "We tend to raise the same kind of Pokémon."

"That's interesting," said Tristan. "Now, let's battle!"

* * *

The fourth battle went the same way for Tristan as it did the second battle. Pikachu easily beat Reli's Pidgey while Butterfree made quick work of her female Nidoran; both defeats caused her to lose the battle.

"I lost, too, but I have no regrets," said Reli. "I'll continue to train my Pokémon for future battles."

"That's the spirit," said Tristan.

"Good luck on the rest of your Nugget Bridge challenge!" she called as she left for the Pokémon Center.

"Well, Tristan, it looks like you're one step closer to winning this Charmander, even though it's following us," said Hillary.

"But we still don't know _why_ it's following us," replied Tristan.

Just then, another Trainer, spotted Tristan and Hillary. He identified himself as a Junior Pokémon Trainer. He was in a camper's uniform, and looked slightly younger than Tristan.

"Okay, my name's Ethan. I'm Number five on this bridge," he said. "I'll stomp you!" He threw his Pokéball.

Out came what appeared to be a tan monkey-like Pokémon with a round body and the nose of a pig. It also had long limbs and a tail.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex, Dexter.

" _Mankey: The Pig Monkey Pokémon,_ " it said. " _This agile Pokémon lives in trees. "It angers easily and will not hesitate to attack anything._ "

Mankey was jumping up and down. It appeared to be ready to take on whatever Pokémon Tristan used against it.

"You'd better be careful," Hillary said to Tristan. "Who knows how powerful Mankey can be when it's angry?"

"Right," responded Tristan.

Tristan thought about what Pokémon to use against the seemingly powerful Mankey. Pikachu and Butterfree had already battled at least once. Even though neither had received much damage from the last four short battles, he figured that he should go with somebody fresh.

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw its Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's instructions for battling Mankey.

"Mankey, Scratch attack!" yelled Ethan.

Mankey lunged forward toward Pidgeotto with its fingers, ready to scratch it.

"Quick, Pidgeotto, get out of the way!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto got out of Mankey's reach by climbing higher into the air.

"Now, Pidgeotto, use your Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeotto dove down on Mankey with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully rammed into it, giving it a clean hit.

Mankey fell down on the ground, but it was able to bounce right back up again. It seemed to be even more angry after Pidgeotto's Quick Attack connected with it.

"Okay, Mankey, Karate Chop!" shouted Ethan.

Mankey once again charged toward Pidgeotto, but this time it readied itself for its attack using the sides of its open hands. It successfully landed chop after chop on Pidgeotto.

"Wow, I'm glad I'm not Pidgeotto right now because those chops have got to hurt," said Hillary, nervously.

Pikachu, Butterfree, and Charmander were getting worried about Pidgeotto, too.

"Tristan, do something before Pidgeotto becomes a chopped onion!" shouted Hillary.

"Pidgeotto, climb quickly and use your Gust attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeotto gained altitude and got out of Mankey's reach. Then it furiously flapped its wings, creating a huge gust of wind, which made it hard for Mankey to stand its ground.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!" yelled Tristan.

Pidgeotto once again quickly dove down on Mankey with a white line trailing behind it. It seemed to be much faster than the last Quick Attack, and when Pidgeotto connected with Mankey, it scored a direct hit, knocking it out.

"That was too much for me to handle," said Ethan as he returned Mankey to its Pokéball. "Now that you've beaten me, you can receive your prize just ahead."

"Thank you, Ethan!" called Tristan, as Ethan made his way back to the Pokémon Center.

"That was awesome, Pidgeotto," said Tristan as he petted it.

Pidgeotto responded happily and rubbed its head on Tristan to show its affection.

"Wow!" said Hillary, who was rather amazed. "Did you see what Pidgeotto just did?"

"Of course I did," replied Tristan. "It showed its affection because it seems to like me a lot better than when I first caught it."

"You give it love and care, and it cares for you in return," said Hillary.

"I guess you're right," said Tristan. "Now, let's go to the end of the bridge."

Just then, Charmander jumped onto the bridge rails. It seemed to want to do some tricks after celebrating Tristan's latest five victories. It didn't know of the danger of the raging waters below. This made Tristan and Hillary worry.

"Charmander, get off of there!" yelled Tristan.

"Watch out!" added Hillary.

"Pika Pika!" finished Pikachu.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Friend and Foe Alike"))_

Unfortunately, their warnings came just a little too late, for Charmander slipped off the rail toward the water below. Tristan, his other Pokémon, and Hillary all gasped in worry.

Tristan immediately sprang into action. "Bulbasaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" he ordered as he threw Bulbasaur's Pokéball.

Instantly after materializing, Bulbasaur shot two green vines from the bulb on its back and managed to grab Charmander just before it fell into the water.

Tristan and Hillary each grabbed a vine and pulled it very carefully in order not to bump Charmander against the bridge.

"We've got you, Charmander!" called Tristan. "Just hang on!"

Charmander was trembling as Tristan and Hillary pulled on Bulbasaur's vines.

Eventually, they managed to haul Charmander back to safety. Everyone sighed with relief.

"That was close. Are you all right, Charmander?" asked Tristan to Charmander.

"Charmander," it replied happily and jumped onto Tristan's lap.

Tristan turned to Bulbasaur. "Thanks, Bulbasaur," he said. "That was some very fancy roping."

Bulbasaur replied happily.

"That was very dangerous, Charmander," said Hillary. "Your tail flame could have gone out."

"What would have happened if Charmander's tail flame ever did go out?" asked Tristan.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," answered Hillary.

Just then, a voice said, "Congratulations! You have successfully defeated the five fabulous Trainers who were guarding this bridge!"

Tristan and Hillary turned around in surprise. They turned to see what appeared to be a smartly dressed energetic man.

"Who are you?" asked Tristan.

"I'm the person who awards the grand prize for defeating the five Trainers on the Nugget Bridge," replied the new person.

"So, did we win a Charmander?" asked Hillary hopefully.

"Today, your prize is...wait for it...a NUGGET!" he replied as he held up what appeared to be a gold coin.

Tristan and Hillary fell on the ground in embarrassment.

"Wait a second!" said Hillary. "A Nugget? A NUGGET?! We came all the way from the other side of the Nugget Bridge hoping to win a Charmander and you have the nerve to say that today's prize is a measly little _NUGGET_?!"

"I sure do," replied the gentleman.

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Charmander started glaring directly at him. That was when Tristan and Hillary became suspicious.

"Something's going on here," said Tristan.

"I agree," added Hillary. "Why are you here in the first place, anyway?"

"Besides awarding the grand prize, I'm here to make you an unforgettable proposition!" replied the gentleman.

"What are you talking about?" asked Tristan suspiciously.

"Here's the deal..." he said. "...How would you like to join Team Rocket?"

"WHAT?!" gasped Tristan and Hillary together. They were most shocked.

"We're an organization dedicated to using Pokémon for our evil purposes," replied the gentleman. "Wanna join?"

"No way!" replied Tristan. He grabbed Hillary by the hand and started to walk away. "We're outta here."

"Are you sure?" asked the gentleman as he grabbed Hillary's other hand.

"Let us go!" demanded Tristan, as he played tug of war with the gentleman using Hillary as the rope.

"He said no!" said Hillary, raising her voice.

"Come on!"

"No!"

"Join us!"

"No!"

"I'm telling you to join!"

"N-O!"

"Do it or else!"

"Let go of me!"

Charmander became annoyed as its tail flame grew hotter. It was so angry that it shot multiple balls of fire from its mouth and aimed them at the gentleman, burning him in the process.

The gentleman's disguise was burned to a crisp and he was revealed to be wearing a black uniform with a red letter R on it.

"You're from Team Rocket!" gasped Hillary.

"I knew something was fishy!" said Tristan.

"All right, you need convincing!" said the Rocket Grunt. "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse!"

He threw two Pokéballs. The first Pokémon that materialized was a purple snakelike Pokémon: Ekans. The second one was a blue bat with no eyes: Zubat.

"Hey, two against one is unfair!" shouted Hillary.

"Unfairness is my trademark, you little brat!" countered the Rocket Grunt. "Ekans and Zubat, take these kids out!"

Ekans and Zubat lunged toward Tristan, Hillary, and the Pokémon with a Bite attack, but just then...

"Not so fast!"

 _(Music Cue: Get Pokémon!")_

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see the five trainers, Cale, Ali, Timmy, Reli, and Ethan all standing right behind them, ready to take on the Rocket Grunt.

"It's the five Trainers we battled!" exclaimed Tristan.

"They've come to help us out!" added Hillary.

"Oh, I'm so scared," said the Rocket Grunt, who was clearly acting sarcastic.

That remark only made the five Trainers even madder.

"You won't get away with scamming this Trainer and his friends!" shouted Cale.

"Do you honestly think that we would stand by and do nothing?" added Ethan.

"Let's show this phony what we're made of!" finished Ali.

"Yeah!" agreed Reli and Timmy.

"GOOOOO!" yelled all five Trainers as they threw their Pokéballs.

Cale sent out Caterpie and Weedle; Ali and Reli both sent out their Pidgey and the female Nidoran; Timmy sent out his Rattata, Ekans and Zubat; and Ethan sent out his Mankey.

"No fair!" cried the Rocket Grunt. "That's ten against two!"

"Perhaps you should have thought about it before you decided to cheat," remarked Hillary.

"And tried to scam us," added Tristan.

"Attack!" ordered the five trainers to their Pokémon.

All the Trainers' Pokémon charged toward the Rocket Grunt and his Pokémon, who were no match for the combined might of all the Pokémon's Scratch, Bite and Tackle attacks.

The Rocket Grunt and his Pokémon were knocked out.

"Serves him right," said Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," replied Hillary.

Officer Jenny arrived on the scene a moment later to arrest the Grunt. She had seen everything.

"There have been reports of a scammer promoting an evil organization called Team Rocket, and getting Trainers to join," she said, "and it looks like this guy fits our description perfectly."

She put the Grunt in handcuffs and called for a paddy wagon.

"I'd like to thank you all for helping bring this person to justice," she said to the Trainers.

"You're very welcome, Officer Jenny," replied Hillary.

"We were just glad we could help," added Tristan.

"What they said," finished the other five Trainers.

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

A moment later, a wagon came and whisked the Rocket Grunt away to jail while Officer Jenny sped off on her motorcycle.

The other five Trainers prepared to say their goodbyes to Tristan and Hillary.

"We'll plan to go on a journey together real soon," said Ethan.

"Yeah," agreed Ali. "After seeing the way you battled, we just got inspired to go with our dreams together."

"I'd like to be a great Trainer like you are, Tristan," said Timmy.

"And we plan to make new friends, too," added Cale.

"Teamwork, friendship, and trust between us and our Pokémon are keys to victory for all of us," finished Reli.

"I wish you nothing but the very best for all five of you," said Tristan.

"Good luck to you all," added Hillary.

"Thanks, guys," replied the five Trainers. "We'll do our best."

* * *

The five Trainers then left the Nugget Bridge some time later, leaving Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Charmander alone. Presently, someone arrived on the Nugget Bridge, panting as he went.

"Excuse me, but has anyone seen a wild Charmander around here?" he asked. "It's been looking around for a Trainer who would give it love and care, but it always has a tendency to run off, and I've been looking for it all day."

Charmander happily ran into that person's arms.

"Charmander, thank goodness you weren't hurt," he said. He was relieved to see Charmander again. He turned to Tristan and Hillary. "Thank you both so much for keeping Charmander safe."

 _(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

"Who are you?" asked Tristan.

"My name's Bill," he replied. "I live at the lighthouse near the beach.

"I've heard that name somewhere before," said Hillary.

"Aren't you the one who gave an Eevee to my grandparents?" asked Tristan.

"Guilty as charged," replied Bill. "I spoke with your grandparents over the phone a few hours ago, and she told me to expect your arrival. It also turns out that this Charmander was following you the entire time."

"But why would a Charmander be following us?" asked Hillary.

"This Charmander came to the lighthouse and wanted to see what living with a trainer was like," replied Bill. "It was just starting to enjoy itself when suddenly, a stranger came by. Charmander spotted him immediately and angrily ran after him before I could stop it. It was obvious that this Charmander doesn't like mean people like that guy. Then, when you two came along, Charmander decided to follow you around to see if you could help it stop that guy. Even a foolish disguise wasn't enough to hide his true identity."

"I guess we made the right call by letting Charmander follow us," said Tristan.

"Things would have been a lot more interesting if it didn't," added Hillary.

"Why don't you come with me to the lighthouse?" suggested Bill.

"We'd like that," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu and Charmander were delighted with the idea.

* * *

At Bill's lighthouse, Bill and the kids spoke with Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother, on his video phone.

"It looks like I was right about you making it to the lighthouse," said Veronica.

"How did you know we were going to make it, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"I just felt it in my heart," replied Veronica. "And besides, I wanted you to meet Bill because he's a very interesting person. I have a feeling you will learn a lot from him."

"We met a Charmander, too, Grandma," added Tristan. "It decided to follow us."

"Charmander!" chimed Charmander happily.

"Well, well," said Veronica. "It looks like that Charmander likes you very much. You must have done something very brave to befriend it."

"We recently rescued it from falling in the river," answered Tristan.

"Fascinating," said Veronica.

"Charmander wanted to know what to expect from living with a Trainer," explained Bill, "but ran off to chase a bad guy. It turned out that guy was from Team Rocket. Let's just say that he got fired thanks to that Ember attack."

Everyone laughed.

"Good one, Bill!" chuckled Veronica.

When everyone stopped laughing, Bill asked Veronica, "By the way, how is that Eevee I gave you?"

"It's doing well," answered Veronica. "It just loves getting all the attention from both Eric and me."

"That's very nice to hear," said Bill.

"Well, I suppose I should let you all go for now, but Bill, could you give my grandkids a test for me to see if they're actually learning something?" teased Veronica.

"Grandma!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary together.

"Just kidding!" said Veronica. "I love you, kids."

"We love you too, Grandma," replied Tristan and Hillary.

"Pikachu!" chimed Pikachu.

Tristan hung up the phone and the screen turned off.

Bill turned his attention to Tristan and Hillary. "Just so you know, the latest number of Pokémon that has been discovered is at least 150 Pokémon," he explained. "However, recently there have been new reports of some newly discovered Pokémon."

"So you're saying there may be more than just the 150 original Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

"That's awesome!" said Tristan. "I want to meet them all!"

"My advice is to search everywhere until you do find them all," said Bill.

"We will," said Tristan and Hillary.

"Charmander!" added Charmander.

Bill then turned to Charmander. "As for you, Charmander, you seem to be very happy following Tristan around," he said.

"What do you mean by that, Bill?" asked Tristan.

"What I'm saying is this, Tristan," he said. "Would you like to take this Charmander with you on your journey? It seems to be the happiest when it's with you."

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Tristan thought about it, and then turned to Charmander. "Well, do you want to come with us, Charmander?"

"Char, Char, Char!" replied Charmander excitedly.

Tristan held out an empty Pokéball while Charmander touched the button.

Instantly, Charmander transformed into a field of red energy and disappeared inside the ball.

The button flashed and clicked, signaling that Charmander had been caught.

"All right!" said Tristan excitedly. He struck a pose and proclaimed, "I got a Charmander!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"You've got another new friend, Tristan," said Hillary.

"And we've got another new team member," added Tristan.

"Your grandmother should be very proud, Tristan," said Bill.

"Thanks, Bill," replied Tristan. "I promise to take good care of Charmander."

"I know you will, so good luck to you and Hillary, too," said Bill.

"Thanks, Bill," said Hillary.

"Oh, I have one last thing for you both," said Bill.

He handed out two tickets to the children.

"What are these?" asked Tristan.

"These are tickets to the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City," answered Bill. "I was invited to a party, but I wasn't in the mood for one because it's full of rich people."

"We understand," said Hillary.

"We'll go in your place," said Tristan. "It's the least we can do."

"Actually, the S.S. Ticket was the favor for taking care of that Charmander, so I should be thanking you," said Bill.

"So how do we get to Vermiliion City from here?" asked Hillary.

"You'll have to take the underground between Route 5 and route 6," explained Bill. "All gates to Saffron City are closed. Officer Jenny and three of her other sisters are guarding the entrances to Saffron City in all directions."

"Then that settles it," said Tristan. "We'll just have to take the Underground on Route 5."

 _With a new Charmander on his side, and another Team Rocket scheme foiled, Tristan and his friends, Hillary and Pikachu, leave Bill's lighthouse behind to make one last trip to Cerulean City so they can plan for their adventures in Vermilion City and the S.S. Anne._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	12. Chapter 12: A RIVAL RETURNS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 12 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue on their journey through Kanto. It's a little shorter, and it may be just a little predictable, but as always, please read, review, and enjoy. Feedback is welcome, too.**

 **TEASER: Blue has come back to challenge Tristan to another battle. Will Tristan be able to defeat him again or will he suffer defeat himself?**

 **Chapter 12: A RIVAL RETURNS**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City M18A)_

 _After welcoming Charmander to the ever-growing Pokémon family, Tristan and his friends, Hillary and Pikachu, have decided to make one last visit to Cerulean City before making their way to their next destination, Vermilion City, by making their way through the underground tunnel between Routes 5 and 6._

"Wow, Tristan, you should be very happy now," remarked Hillary. "You not only have a Bulbasaur, but now you have a Charmander, too. That's two more Pokémon you weren't expecting to get."

"I agree," replied Tristan. "But the only reason why these two came along with me is because we were willing to help them out. It's always been a team effort."

"I guess that's true," said Hillary.

"And I also have Butterfree, Pidgeotto, and Pikachu to thank for helping me get this far," added Tristan.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" implored Hillary.

"That's all the Pokémon I have, sis," said Tristan. "I can't think of anyone else to thank."

"Like your little sister?" said Hillary, getting closer to Tristan.

"Oh, that's right," said Tristan, who suddenly remembered. "I guess I should thank you as well."

"That's more like it," chuckled Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary were just about to leave Cerulean City when suddenly...

"Yo, Tristan! You're still struggling along back here?"

Tristan could think of only one person who would say that. "Don't tell me it's Blue," he groaned to Hillary.

"It's Blue," replied Hillary.

"I asked you not to tell me that," sighed Tristan.

"I'm doing great!" said Blue excitedly. "I caught a bunch of strong and super smart Pokémon! Let's see what you've got, Tristan!" He threw his first Pokéball.

A Spearow materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan was very surprised. "That's the same Spearow I battled when we were near Pewter City!" he said.

"Yep!" replied Blue. "Now, have you gotten any stronger or are you too chicken to battle me?"

Tristan couldn't take Blue's insults any longer. "All right, you're on!" he shouted.

"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Blue. "I knew you couldn't resist battling me!"

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you," said Tristan as he took out his first Pokéball.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" taunted Blue. "Are you afraid of using your puny little Pikachu to battle my Spearow because its beak will give it some real damage?" He laughed again.

Pikachu growled at that insult while some electric sparks sizzled on its cheeks.

"Take it easy, Pikachu," said Tristan, patting its head. "Blue's just trying to get to us, but we'll show him how much stronger we've gotten."

"That's the spirit, Tristan," said Hillary.

Tristan turned to Blue. "No, Blue," he replied. "I'm saving Pikachu for later."

"Show me what you will use, then," said Blue, who was still being cocky.

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw his first Pokéball.

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light and squawked, awaiting Tristan's directions for battle.

Blue was intrigued by Pidgeotto. "Looks like your Pidgey evolved," said Blue, "but I bet it's still a disobedient birdbrain! Spearow, Peck attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Spearow charged in toward Pidgeotto with its beak out in front, ready to peck Pidgeotto.

"Now, Pidgeotto, climb up!" ordered Tristan.

Instantly, Pidgeotto gained altitude and dodged Spearow's attack, much to Blue's surprise.

"Not bad, so you got it to obey you," said Blue. "I'm not impressed. But maybe you'll be impressed with this! Spearow, Fury Attack!"

Spearow flew up and started diving down on Pidgeotto, once again with its beak as the driving force of its attack, ready to peck Pidgeotto repeatedly.

"Pidgeotto, get out of the way!" commanded Tristan.

Again, Pidgeotto dodged Spearow's attack, causing it to miss.

"Okay, Pidgeotto, let's show Spearow your Gust attack now!" instructed Tristan.

Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings, causing a big gust of wind to blow towards Spearow. Spearow found it difficult to maintain its position in the air and was blown to the ground, much to Blue's worry.

"Quick, Spearow, get up!" yelled Blue.

Spearow struggled to get on its feet, but found it to be very difficult because of the damage taken from Pidgeotto's Gust attack.

"Now's our chance, Pidgeotto, Quick Attack now!" he shouted.

Pidgeotto sped towards a defenseless Spearow, leaving a white trail behind it. It successfully rammed into Spearow, scoring a direct hit.

As for Spearow, it crashed into the ground and had fainted on the spot.

"No, Spearow!" cried Blue.

Pidgeotto came to a safe landing on the ground.

"Way to go, Pidgeotto," said Tristan. "You really showed him what you can do."

Pidgeotto squawked happily.

Blue returned Spearow to its Pokéball and put it in his pocket. He then took out his second Pokéball. "Go, Sandshrew!" he shouted as he threw his second Pokéball.

A yellow mammalian Pokémon with a white underbelly materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Pidgeotto, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward it.

Pidgeotto transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside the ball.

"Return?" asked Blue. He was very confused.

"That's right, Blue," answered Tristan. "I caught a Pokémon I think you're going to find very interesting."

"You're just bluffing," said Blue.

"I'm not bluffing, Blue," replied Tristan as he took out another Pokéball. "I choose you...Bulbasaur!" He threw Bulbasaur's Pokéball.

Bulbasaur materialized from the white light that came out of it.

"When did you get that?" asked Blue.

"I just got it," answered Tristan. "It needed someone with love and care to take it along for the ride."

"Bulba," added Bulbasaur.

"Love and care. Bah!" scoffed Blue. "No matter. Sandshrew, Scratch attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

Sandshrew lunged toward Bulbasaur with its claws stretched out.

"Bulbasaur, give it a Vine Whip now!" ordered Tristan.

Immediately, Bulbasaur shot two green vines from the bulb on its back and repeatedly whipped Sandshrew with them, giving it some real damage.

"Don't be whipped by the vines, Sandshrew!" shouted Blue. "Sand-Attack now!"

Sandshrew used its hind paws to hurl sand toward Bulbasaur's eyes.

"Quick, Bulbasaur, jump!" commanded Tristan.

Bulbasaur stopped using Vine Whip on Sandshrew and made a huge jump to avoid Sandshrew's Sand-Attack.

Tristan quickly looked at his Pokédex to see what attacks Bulbasaur knew. He knew that Bulbasaur knew Tackle and Vine Whip, but didn't know that there was one other attack that Bulbasaur knew, so he decided to give it a try. "Okay, are you ready, Bulbasaur?" he called.

"Bulbasaur!" replied Bulbasaur.

"Use your Leech Seed now!" ordered Tristan.

A brown seed sprouted from Bulbasaur's bulb. Bulbasaur shot the seed toward Sandshrew and was successfully planted. The seed began to sprout and grow thin vines and leaves.

"What's going on with Sandshrew?" asked Blue, who was beginning to worry.

The leaves and vines began to grow red, giving Sandshrew a shocking feeling. It began to grow weaker while Bulbasaur got stronger.

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" shouted Tristan.

Bulbasaur shot its two green vines from its bulb and wrapped them around Sandshrew. Then it repeatedly tossed Sandshrew up and down, giving it a lot of pain. Then with one full-throttle toss, Bulbasaur thrust Sandshrew toward the ground, knocking it out. As a result, the green leaves and vines from Bulbasaur's Leech Seed disappeared.

"Awesome job, Bulbasaur!" said Tristan.

Bulbasaur replied happily.

"Return, Sandshrew!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Sandshrew.

It transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"Now who's doing great, Blue?" asked Tristan.

"No fair, that's my line!" complained Blue. Then he got upset. "There's no way I'll let you make a fool out of me! Rattata, go!" He threw his third Pokéball.

A purple rat with oversized front teeth and a curvy tail.

Tristan thought about whether he wanted to keep Bulbasaur out or switch with another Pokémon, despite Bulbasaur taking no damage so far. Then he made his decision.

"Bulbasaur, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward Bulbasaur.

Bulbasaur transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"Why did you do that, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Bulbasaur was doing well."

"I know that, sis," said Tristan. "I know Bulbasaur did well against Blue's Sandshrew, but I'm introducing my new Pokémon to battling gradually. And besides, I haven't had a chance to use Charmander yet, and I've been wanting to see how well it does in battle."

"I guess that makes sense," said Hillary, but she was still puzzled.

Tristan took out another Pokéball. "Charmander, I choose you!" he called as he threw Charmander's Pokéball.

Charmander materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Charmander happily stood in front of Tristan, ready to battle Rattata.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Tracey Gets Bugged"))_

"Rattata, Tackle attack!" yelled Blue.

Rattata charged toward Charmander with its full body as its driving force.

"Charmander, Ember attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Charamnder shot multiple little fireballs from its mouth as Rattata charged at it.

Rattata got hit by every one of them and fell backward.

"Don't take that lying down, Rattata!" commanded Blue. "Hyper Fang attack!"

Rattata got back up and charged toward Charmander again, but this time, its big teeth glowed, ready to bite Charmander.

"Charmander, look out!" shouted Tristan.

Charmander got out of the way at the last second, causing Rattata to get its teeth stuck in the ground.

"Looks like Rattata's hanging in there by the skin of its teeth!" remarked Hillary.

"Pika Pika," replied Pikachu.

"Charmander, use your Ember attack again!" ordered Tristan.

Charmander shot another barrage of little fireballs from its mouth.

Rattata struggled in vain to get free from its predicament as it got hit by Charmander's attack. It collapsed and fainted.

"Good job, Charmander," said Tristan.

Charmander seemed to be very happy with its first win and jumped up and down.

"It looks like I lead three battles to none, Blue," said Tristan.

"Oh, yeah?" said Blue. "Rattata, return!" He aimed the Pokéball's button toward Rattata, which transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"Maybe you should quit, Blue," suggested Tristan.

"Are you suggesting that I quit right in the middle of a battle?" asked Blue, who by this time was getting a little upset. "My Grandpa says it ain't over till it's over, and for you, it's all over. Go, Eevee!" He threw Eevee's Pokéball.

Blue's Eevee materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

It seemed to Tristan that it got stronger since the last time they battled. Tristan quickly thought about a strategy.

"It looks like Tristan's in a bind," said Hillary to Pikachu.

"Pika?" asked Pikachu.

"Well, Tristan's won three battles in a row so far," replied Hillary. "He could go with any one of his five choices, with you included. But I'm sure that as much as he would like to use Charmander or Bulbasaur, neither of them may be strong enough to beat Blue's Eevee. It could come down to you, Pidgeotto, or Butterfree, although he used Pidgeotto earlier in the battle to defeat Blue's Spearow."

 _Hillary's got a point there,_ thought Tristan. _But so far, none of my Pokémon have taken any damage from the last three Pokémon Blue used against us. And Charnander seems to be on fire, so to speak._

"So, are you going to stick with your Charmander or is it too weak to battle my Eevee?" taunted Blue.

"I'm keeping Charmander in, Blue," replied Tristan.

This took Hillary and Pikachu by surprise.

"But why?" asked Hillary.

"It's true that I have spent a lot of time with Pikachu, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto already," explained Tristan. "However, I haven't spent as much time with Bulbasaur and Charmander since I just got both of them. And both of them need the experience in battling. It's true that Eevee may have gotten stronger, but my Pokémon have heart. And we're going to show Blue and Eevee just what we're made of."

"Well, let's just see how well this goes for you," said Blue. "Eevee, Sand-Attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne"))_

Eevee used its hind paws to kick up sand in Charmander's direction.

However, Tristan remembered the same scenario from last time. "Jump, Charmander!" commanded Tristan.

Charmander jumped out of the way just as the sand was about to reach it.

But Blue seemed unfazed by it because he had a surprise. "Eevee, Tackle attack!" yelled Blue.

Eevee charged toward a descending Charmander. Eevee's timing was on the mark for just as Charmander landed on its feet, it successfully scored a direct hit, sending it flying.

"Charmander!" cried Tristan.

Charmander slid backward and almost fell down, but it maintained its balance and got back on its feet.

"Way to hang in there, Charmander," said Tristan.

"Eevee, give it another Tackle attack, and make it hit hard this time!" commanded Blue.

Eevee charged at Charmander and rammed into it again, but faster and harder.

This surprise threw Charmander for a loop as it fell onto its back. It wasn't expecting Eevee to use two Tackle attacks in a row.

"You can do it, Charmander!" shouted Tristan. "Don't give up!"

"Ha!" laughed Blue. "Do you honestly think that you can encourage Charmander enough to win this battle? Then you're more of an amateur than I thought you were. I've heard enough of that flame, so let's douse it and Tristan's chances of winning with your Sand-Attack, Eevee!"

Eevee kicked up sand using its hind paws. The sand started to hit Charmander.

"Tris, you'd better do something before it's too late!" called Hillary.

"Charmander, try an Ember attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmander shot another barrage of little fireballs from its mouth toward Eevee. But Eevee saw the attack and dodged it.

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "If Eevee connects with Charmander one more time, it's all over!"

"Eevee, use your Tackle attack!" yelled Blue.

Eevee charged toward Charmander at full velocity.

"Stay strong, Charmander!" shouted Tristan. "Remember that you have the heart of a Fire Pokémon!"

Just as Tristan said that, Charmander's tail flame got hotter and hotter. Charmander opened its mouth to unleash an attack, but instead of a barrage of fireballs, it turned out to be a powerful stream of fire. Tristan was surprised. So were Hillary and Pikachu.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Flamethrower: One of Charmander's most powerful attacks,"_ it said. _"A red orange stream of fire is shot from its mouth toward its opponents."_

Just as the Pokédex said that, Charmander's Flamethrower attack connected with Eevee, much to Blue's shock.

"Eevee!" exclaimed Blue.

Eevee struggled to its feet, but it was breathing heavily and its legs wobbled. Eevee collapsed and fainted, causing Blue to lose the battle.

"We did it, Charmander!" shouted Tristan excitedly.

"Charmander, Char!" cried Charmander as it happily ran to Tristan and jumped into his arms.

"You're the hottest and the coolest!" said Tristan as he carefully hugged it while taking care not to touch Charmander's flame.

"Hey, take it easy, Tristan, you've won already!" said Blue as he returned Eevee to its Pokéball.

"I can't believe that Charmander learned Flamethrower on its own, and it's only been with Tristan for a short time!" said Hillary.

"Pika, pika!" said Pikachu happily.

"Hey, guess what, Tristan?" said Blue/

"What?" replied Tristan.

"I went to Bill's lighthouse and got him to show me some of his rare Pokémon!" answered Blue. "I got a lot of new information about those Pokémon on my Pokédex!"

"How come I didn't see any?" asked Tristan, who was getting suspicious of Blue's statement.

"Maybe because they were outside?" answered Blue nervously. "Anyway, Bill is famous for being a Pokémaniac."

"So we hear," said Hillary.

"Well, I'd better be going, Tristan. Smell ya later!" said Bill as he raced away.

Tristan was losing patience for Blue's continued rudeness. "I really don't like him," he grumbled.

"Forget him," said Hillary. "Now you have more firepower thanks to Charmander's new Flamethrower attack."

"Yes!" replied Tristan. "And that will help us be victorious at anything that comes our way!"

"But first, we should stop by the Pokémon Center one last time before we leave Cerulean City," suggested Hillary.

"That's a good idea," replied Tristan as he, Hillary and Pikachu made their way to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Nighttime came a few hours after Tristan and Hillary made it to the Pokémon Center. It was there that he made a call to Professor Oak on the video phone.

"Guess what, Professor Oak?" said Tristan to Professor Oak. "I caught a Bulbasaur and a Charmander!"

"Well, well!" said Professor Oak. "You should be quite proud, young man. These two Pokémon are very hard to come by."

"And I got Pidgeotto to listen to me as well!" added Tristan.

"That's even better news!" replied Professor Oak. "You must be progressing along as a trainer quite well."

"Well, I've been getting a little help from my sister," said Tristan.

"And I've been keeping him out of trouble!" added Hillary.

"You two make quite a team," remarked Professor Oak. "Your grandparents should be pleased, too."

"Thanks Professor Oak," replied Tristan.

"So where's your next Gym battle going to be?" asked Professor Oak.

"We're on our way to Vermilion City so I can get another badge," answered Tristan.

"I wish you and Hillary the best of luck on your already successful journey,"

"Thanks, Professor!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

The video screen then turned off as Tristan hung up the phone.

Nurse Joy came out of the examination room with Pikachu and four of Tristan's Pokéballs. "Your Pokémon are all rested up and are good to go, Tristan," she said.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

"We heard from Bill that we're supposed to take the underground tunnel on Route 5 to Vermilion City," said Hillary. "Is that right?"

"Yes it is," answered Nurse Joy. "All of the entrances to Saffron City are closed because all the officers are guarding it for some strange reason."

"That's weird," said Tristan.

"Also, the S.S. Anne will be stopping in Vermilion City tomorrow," explained Nurse Joy. "There's going to be a party for all Trainers who got a ticket to go to the S.S. Anne."

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued (sample))_

"Okay, then I think I know what we should do," announced Hillary. "Tristan and I will get a good night's rest and start for Vermilion City first thing in the morning."

"Right!" agreed Tristan.

 _As Tristan and Hillary prepare to leave for Vermilion City, they think about the many adventures that lie ahead in Vermilion City and the S.S. Anne, but little do they know that another friendly Pokémon is watching them through a window._

"Squirtle!"

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	13. Chapter 13: THE SS ANNE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, but here is Chapter 13 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they make their way through the Kanto region. As always, please read, review, enjoy, and ask questions.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and his friends have been invited to a party on the S.S. Anne. But when the Captain gets seasick, the ship's doctors get some seafood. To make matters worse, Tristan's rival, Blue, joins in on the fun. Will Tristan be able to help out the Captain? And why is a Squirtle following Tristan?**

 **Chapter 13. THE S.S. ANNE**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City (M18A))_

 _Tristan and his friends continue their journey. Hey, wait a minute! Where are all the trees? And where's the sky?_

Tristan and Hillary continued on their way to Vermilion City on a beautiful sunny morning, except they weren't travelling outside. Just as they reached the northern entrance to Saffron City, they entered a building and went down some stairs to the underground tunnel with flashlights in hand.

"This place sort of gives me the creeps," said Hillary nervously. "Don't you think so, Tristan?"

"As long as nobody else is here, we should be okay," replied Tristan. "Besides, we'll be out of here soon."

Pikachu agreed with Tristan.

Just then, Tristan spotted light and a flight of stairs at the end of the tunnel.

"Quick, Hillary, up the stairs!" said Tristan excitedly.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" called Hillary as she and Pikachu tried their hardest to keep up with a very excited Tristan.

As they climbed up the flight of stairs, they saw the exit from a different building and dashed through it. Then they put their flashlights away and continued walking on Route 6.

"That underground tunnel seemed to be man-made," remarked Tristan.

"You're right, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "But at least we're enjoying the nice sunshine again."

Tristan took out his map and compass. "Now, if I'm studying these correctly, and if we're heading south on Route 6, we should make it to Vermilion City," he said.

"Let's hope so," replied Hillary. "I want to see what a party full of Trainers from around the world is like."

Presently, Tristan and Hillary saw a luxurious ocean liner off in the distance. It was about to dock at the next harbor.

"That must be the S.S. Anne!" said Tristan.

"That means we're just about to Vermilion City!" added Hillary. "Let's hurry!"

And so they hurried along to Vermilion City and the S.S. Anne just as it docked at the harbor, little suspecting that a light blue bipedal turtle Pokémon was still quietly following them.

"Squirtle?" it whispered.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

"So, this is Vermilion City," said Tristan as he and Hillary made it to town.

"It sure is," added Hillary. "And it's beautiful."

"You're right," said Tristan. "Let's see if we can get on the ship."

Tristan and Hillary made their way to the harbor where a sailor was standing by, waiting for incoming Trainers.

"Welcome to the S.S. Anne, Trainers," he announced. "May I see your tickets please?"

"Yes, sir," said Tristan and Hillary together. They showed him the S.S. Tickets that Bill gave them earlier at his lighthouse.

"Thank you very much," said the sailor. "Welcome to the S.S. Anne. Go on in."

Tristan and Hillary walked up the gangplank onto the ship. They were most impressed. The ship contained many cabins, a deck, and a large dining hall.

"I've never seen such a large ship," said Tristan.

"Pika," added Pikachu.

"Me neither," said Hillary. "There must be at least a hundred cabins in this place."

"Forget that, there's food to chow down on!" said Tristan as he made a mad dash toward the dining hall to get some food.

"Well, that's typical," said Hillary. "When Tristan gets hungry or sees food, he can't help but get some." And she followed him to the dining hall to eat with Tristan.

Tristan gathered item after item and sat down at one of the tables with Pikachu right behind him.

"You know, Pikachu," he said as he ate, "this is one of the best parties I've ever gone to."

"Pika!" said Pikachu in agreement.

As Hillary joined them in the feast, an announcement came on the public address system.

"May I have your attention please? The Captain of the S.S. Anne is experiencing seasickness. As a result, this ship will remain in Vermilion City until further notice."

 _(Music Cue: No Way, No How!)_

Tristan stopped eating long enough to listen to the announcement. The other passengers were getting worried because the ship wouldn't get them to their destinations.

"Seasickness?" said Tristan. "Isn't that what happens when you get sick out at sea or something?"

"This is awful!" gasped Hillary. "We need to do something!"

"Doesn't this ship have any doctors on board or something?" asked Tristan.

"See for yourself," said Hillary disdainfully as she pointed at 23 of the ship's doctors stuffing their faces full of food.

"That's disgraceful!" said Tristan. "And not only that, their table manners are terrible!"

"It's like they don't care what happens to their captain!" said Hillary.

"Come on, we've got to search the ship and find him!" said Tristan as he and Hillary quickly made their way out of the dining hall, never suspecting that the same Pokémon who had been following them had become a stowaway.

"Squirt, Squirtle!" it smiled.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary searched cabin after cabin for the seasick Captain, but didn't find a trace.

"This ship is huge," said Hillary. "He could be anywhere."

"Maybe he exited the ship?" suggested Tristan.

"I don't think so," replied Hillary. "Otherwise, why would we be here in the first place? Besides, there's a lock on the door, and I suspect the Captain has the key."

"Good point," said Tristan. "So let's keep searching."

Presently, Tristan and Hillary opened the door of one of the cabins and saw a smartly dressed gentleman. He didn't look very friendly at all.

"What are you doing in my cabin?" he demanded.

"We're just looking for some friends who can help us find the Captain," answered Hillary innocently.

"Pikachu," added Pikachu.

"If you want to know my name, my name's Thomas," said the gentleman. "I travel alone on my Pokémon journeys. My Pokémon is my only friend!"

"Get a life," said Tristan. "You need more friends than just your Pokémon."

Hillary turned to Tristan in a hushed voice and said, "I'm not sure you should have said that."

"I'll make you pay for that comment, kid!" said Thomas angrily. "Go, Growlithe!" He threw a Pokéball.

The white light that shot out of it materialized into an orange quadruped canine Pokémon with black stripes on its back and legs, and a teal-colored muzzle, chest, belly, and tail.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon using his Pokédex, named Dexter.

" _Growlithe: The Puppy Pokémon_ ," it said. " _This Pokémon is loyal to its Trainer and will drive enemies away by barking and biting_."

"That sounds like an intelligent Pokémon," remarked Tristan. He turned to Pikachu, who was standing beside him. "Are you ready to go, Pikachu?"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Snack Attack"))_

"Pika!" replied Pikachu as it jumped in front of Tristan, ready to face Growlithe.

"Growlithe, Bite attack!" yelled Thomas.

Growlithe barked and charged toward Pikachu with its canine teeth, ready to bite it.

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu sped out of Growlithe's way with a white line trailing behind it. It zigged and zagged to confuse Growlithe, who wasn't sure where Pikachu's attack would come from.

"Growlithe, Ember!" shouted Thomas.

Little balls of fire shot out of Growlithe's mouth.

Pikachu was hit by one of them; it was driven backward, but it hung in there.

"Don't give in, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan. "Give it your Thundershock!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of lightning shot out of its body toward Growlithe.

"Growlithe, look out!" yelled Thomas.

But it was too late, for Growlithe got zapped by Pikachu's attack and fell on the ground. It struggled to its feet, but collapsed and fainted shortly thereafter.

"My...my friend," sobbed Thomas. "You should be nice to friends."

"I always try, Thomas," replied Tristan, "but I'll be your friend if you want me to."

"Maybe you should leave," said Thomas.

"Are you sure?" asked Tristan.

"I'm sure," replied Thomas sadly. "However, I will consider being your friend...someday."

"We'd like that, Thomas," said Hillary, as she and Tristan left the cabin.

"I feel sorry for Thomas," said Tristan. "I guess he doesn't have any human friends to keep him company."

"Maybe he had friends, but maybe they turned on him," added Hillary. "But you know what they say: 'misery loves company.'"

"Misery..." said Tristan. Then he suddenly remembered. "Misery! The Captain is in a whole lot of it right now! Come on, guys, let's hurry and find him!"

"Right behind you!" called Hillary as she and Pikachu ran after Tristan.

They didn't run for long when Tristan stopped at another passenger's cabin. He opened the door and burst into the room, much to Hillary's dismay.

"I don't think this is the Captain's room, either," she said.

Like the last cabin, this one, too, was occupied by a gentleman, and he was just as unfriendly as Thomas if not more so.

He turned to his unwanted guests. "You impudent kids!" he shouted. "How dare you barge in!"

"We're sorry," said Tristan, "but we thought this was the Captain's cabin."

"Spare me your lies!" shouted the gentleman. "Go, Nidoran!" He threw his first Pokéball.

Nidoran materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball, and was in a light blue color.

Tristan remembered that there were two species of Nidoran and were in different colors. "That one must be the female," he said.

"It's also a Poison-Type Pokémon, too, so be careful," added Hillary.

"I've got it covered," replied Tristan. He turned to the gentleman. "By the way, we don't know your name."

"Well, if you must know, you nosy kid, my name's Arthur," he replied. "Now send out your Pokémon!"

"Butterfree, I choose you!" shouted Tristan. He threw Butterfree's Pokéball and out it came from the white light that shot out of it.

"Nidoran, Poison Sting!" yelled Arthur.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

A barrage of darts shot out of Nidoran's mouth toward Butterfree.

"Butterfree, dodge and use your String Shot attack!" instructed Tristan.

Butterfree flew from side to side, avoiding Nidoran's Poison Sting attack, then it shot a thin, sticky thread from its mouth toward Nidoran, who soon found itself all tied up.

"Pierce through the string with Poison Sting, Nidoran!" shouted Arthur.

A barrage of darts shot out from the pile of string, breaking it instantly. Nidoran had broken through, and was ready to attack again.

However, Tristan had a backup plan. "Use your Confusion, Butterfree!" commanded Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and Nidoran's outline glowed in a purple color, and Nidoran was lifted off the ground.

Nidoran struggled to break free, but it only seemed to make it worse for it.

"Tackle attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree charged toward Nidoran at a high rate of speed and rammed into it, sending it flying.

"My Nidoran!" cried Arthur.

Nidoran lay in a heap with swirls in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Good job, Butterfree," said Tristan.

Butterfree replied happily.

Arthur returned his Nidoran to its Pokéball. He was getting angrier for losing to Butterfree. "Fine, I'll just send out my second Nidoran! Go!" he yelled as he sent out another Nidoran, but the one that materialized was a light purple color with a larger horn.

"That must be the male," said Hillary.

"Right, and I'll beat this one, too," said Tristan. "Go, Butterfree, String Shot!"

Butterfree shot another silky thread from its mouth toward the male Nidoran.

"Nidoran, pierce through with your Horn Attack!" shouted Arthur.

Nidoran charged toward Butterfree and its String Shot with its horn as the driving force. Its horn broke through Butterfree's attack like it was nothing. It successfully scored a clean hit, giving it some damage.

"You can do it, Butterfree!" encouraged Tristan. "Confusion!"

Butterfree's eyes and the male Nidoran's outline glowed in a purple color.

Nidoran was lifted into the air, and it struggled to break free from Butterfree's attack, but couldn't. It soon collapsed from exhaustion, causing Arthur to lose the battle.

"Hmph!" he grumbled. "You two are such rude children! First you barge in, and now you had the nerve to defeat both my Nidoran!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Arthur," said Tristan, "but remember, you were the one who challenged me to a battle in the first place."

Butterfree agreed with Tristan.

"I wish to be left alone," said Arthur sternly. "Now get out."

"He's right, Tris," said Hillary. "Let's go."

She, Tristan, Pikachu, and Butterfree made their way out of Arthur's cabin.

"I didn't know what I was doing," said Tristan. "I truly thought that it was the Captain's cabin.

"Well, don't worry about it," replied Hillary. "You're still getting a little workout before your next Gym Battle."

"I guess that's true," said Tristan. "Anyway, let's continue the search."

* * *

Still trying to search for the Captain, Tristan and Hillary found themselves on the S.S. Anne's deck where another portion of the party had just ended.

Tristan found a nearby sailor and asked him, "Is the party still going on?"

"Sorry, kid," he replied. "The party's over. The ship will be departing soon."

"That's too bad," said Tristan.

"We were spending so much time trying to find the seasick Captain that we forgot that there was a party going on," said Hillary.

Just then, the little light blue bipedal turtle Pokémon who had been following the kids showed up. It hugged Tristan's leg very tightly. Of course, that took Tristan so much by surprise that he fell backward into Hillary and Pikachu, causing them all to get shocked.

Tristan scratched his head. "Sorry about that," he said. "I wasn't expecting this Pokémon to get attached to me." Then he noticed the Pokémon and asked it, "Have you been following us all this time?"

"Squirtle!" it replied.

Hillary noticed the Pokémon, too. She got up excitedly and said, "Wow, it's a Squirtle!"

"Squirtle?" repeated Tristan. Then he suddenly remembered. "Oh, yes, I remember now!" He took out his Pokédex.

" _Squirtle: The Tiny Turtle Pokémon_ ," it said. " _Squirtle shoots water at prey while in the water. It withdraws into its shell when in danger_."

"But why would a Squirtle be following us?" asked Hillary.

Squirtle suddenly jumped up and down while pointing in the direction where Tristan and Hillary had just come from.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that we're about to find out," said Tristan. He turned to Squirtle. "Are you saying that we should go that way?"

"Squirt, Squirtle!" replied Squirtle as it started to run in that direction.

"Come on, let's follow it," said Tristan as he motioned Hillary and Pikachu to follow him.

* * *

Squirtle led Tristan and Hillary from the deck to the basement of the ship. They were hopeful that it would get them to the Captain's room so they could help. But presently, there was a surprise at the end of the hall, and it was one Tristan wasn't looking forward to seeing.

"Bonjour, Tristan! Imagine seeing you here!"

It was Blue, Tristan's rival.

"Blue?! What are you doing here, anyway?" demanded Tristan.

"I was invited to this great party," answered Blue. "Were you really invited, too?"

"Yes, so what?" said Tristan, who was a little confused.

"I just wanted to see how your Pokédex was coming along," said Blue. "I already managed to catch 40 kinds, pal! Ha!"

This made Tristan upset. "I'm doing just fine, but if you're going to mock me, you can do it somewhere else!" he shouted.

"It's time to put that aside and battle!" said Blue as he sent out his first Pokémon from its Pokéball.

The Pokémon that materialized had a light brown body and pale red wings.

"It's that same Spearow I battled before!" exclaimed Tristan.

"If there's one thing I'm happy about in you, it's that you have an easy time remembering all the Pokémon I have that have been the bane of your journey time and time again," taunted Blue.

"We're in a real big hurry here!" said Tristan. "The Captain is sick and he needs help!"

"Oh, so are you being a coward?" mocked Blue.

Tristan's face grew redder as he got madder. Being called a coward always set him off. "All right, you're on!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Oh, boy," said Hillary. "This is going to get ugly."

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw its Pokéball.

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked like an avian bird with red feathers on its head and an alternating pattern of pink and yellow tail feathers.

"Are you still depending on that pathetic birdbrain to win your battles for you?" mocked Blue.

"I don't care what you think because Pidgeotto can defeat that Spearow without even trying!" countered Tristan.

"Blah blah blah," said Blue. "Spearow, Peck attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

Spearow charged toward Pidgeotto as its beak glowed, ready to peck Pidgeotto.

But Tristan had no patience for that. "If you think that I'm going to fall for a Peck and Fury Attack combination from that Spearow, you'd better think again!" shouted Tristan. "Pidgeotto, Gust attack now!"

Pidgeotto gained altitude and furiously flapped its wings as a big gust of wind blew from them. Spearow's beak stopped glowing as it slowed down from the gust of wind. Spearow fell down to the ground.

"Quick, Spearow, get up!" yelled Blue.

"No, you don't!" shouted Tristan. "Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"

Without missing a beat, Pidgeotto mercilessly charged toward Spearow with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully landed a clean hit, knocking Spearow out.

"Spearow, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward Spearow.

It transformed into a red energy field and disappeared inside.

"Good work, Pidgeotto!" praised Tristan. "You showed him what you could do."

Pidgeotto squawked happily.

"Not bad, Tristan," said Blue, "but that's just the beginning because I will have Eevee deal with this!" He threw Eevee's Pokéball.

Eevee materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan was surprised. He wasn't expecting Eevee to show up until later in the battle.

"What's the matter, Tristan, did Eevee's sooner-than-expected appearance leave you speechless?" taunted Blue.

Tristan shook it off. "No way, Blue," he replied. "In fact, I'm just getting started, too. I'll keep Pidgeotto out for now."

Pidgeotto squawked with enthusiasm.

Squirtle seemed to like Tristan's fighting spirit.

Hillary bent down to talk with it. "Do you like it so far, Squirtle?" she asked.

"Squirtle!" replied Squirtle happily.

"This is one example of what a Pokémon battle is like," Hillary told Squirtle. "Tristan gets into battling so he can work together with his Pokémon."

"Squirtle?" asked Squirtle.

"I'm sure Tristan can explain it to you better than I can," said Hillary. "But for now, let's keep watching."

"Squirtle, Squirt," agreed Squirtle.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Okay, Eevee, Tackle attack now!" commanded Blue.

Eevee did a full-body charge toward Pidgeotto, but Pidgeotto was ready for it.

"Climb, Pidgeotto!" instructed Tristan.

Pidgeotto gained altitude and seemed to get out of Eevee's way, but instead, Eevee jumped upward and scored a hit on Pidgeotto, much to Tristan's surprise.

"Can you keep going, Pidgeotto?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeotto was a bit shaken, but it squawked and shook off the damage.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" said Tristan. "Show Eevee your Gust attack!"

Pidgeotto once again quickly flapped its wings, creating another big gust of wind, but Eevee stood its ground.

"Eevee, Quick Attack now!" yelled Blue.

Eevee quickly ran toward Pidgeotto with a white line trailing behind it and scored another hit, but because of the headwind from Pidgeotto's Gust attack the damage was halved.

"Pidgeotto, give it your Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto dove down on Eevee and charged with a white line trailing behind it.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" shouted Blue.

Eevee charged at Pidgeotto, just as Pidgeotto charged at it. Both Quick Attacks collided in midair as a result, but due to Pidgeotto's weight advantage, Pidgeotto's Quick Attack won out, sending Eevee flying backward toward the wall.

"Eevee!" cried Blue.

Eevee struggled to its feet, even after getting sent flying. Its legs wobbled, but then gave out, causing Eevee to collapse and faint.

"Way to go, Pidgeotto," said Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked a positive reply to Tristan.

"Well, it looks like your Pidgeotto has been trained well," said Blue. "But it won't be able to stop my Sandshrew!" He threw Sandshrew's Pokéball.

Sandshrew materialized from the white light that shot out of it; it looked like a brown mouse with a brick pattern on its body.

Pidgeotto had the type advantage, but it was getting very tired by this point after two hard-fought battles: one with Spearow, and the other with Eevee. The latter proved to be much more challenging because Eevee matched Pidgeotto matched it move for move, and Tristan knew that he needed to switch Pokémon.

"Pidgeotto, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward Pidgeotto.

Pidgeotto transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"That was a good call, Tristan," said Hillary. "Pidgeotto was exhausted from its battle with Eevee."

"I know," replied Tristan. "Blue seems to get stronger with each battle."

"Don't forget, you and your Pokémon have gotten stronger, too," added Hillary. "Blue's got nothing on you!"

"You're right," said Tristan. He soon felt motivated and took out another Pokéball. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

He threw Bulbasaur's Pokéball.

Bulbasaur materialized from the white light; it looked liked a small quadruped with blue-green skin and a green bulb on its back.

"So, you still have a Bulbasaur," said Blue.

"Bulbasaur's done a great job so far," replied Tristan. "Let's see what you've got in the meantime."

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "The Song of Jigglypuff"))_

"Sandshrew, Scratch attack!" yelled Blue.

Sandshrew lunged toward Bulbasaur with its power focused in its claws.

"Bulbasaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Bulbasaur shot two green vines from its bulb and wrapped them around Sandshrew.

"Sandshrew, don't let that little dim bulb beat you!" commanded Blue.

"Now, Tackle it, Bulbasaur!" shouted Tristan.

With its vines still extended, Bulbasaur charged toward Sandshrew and scored a clean hit. Sandshrew was sent flying, and was knocked out.

"Return, Sandshrew!" commanded Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button toward it.

Sandshrew transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside.

"I have to say, I'm pretty impressed," remarked Blue, "but my newly evolved Raticate will be able to stop you!" He threw Raticate's Pokéball.

Raticate materialized from the white light that shot out of it; it looked like a big rat that was mostly tawny-colored with a cream underside.

"Let's see what Dexter says," said Tristan as he scanned Raticate with his Pokédex.

" _Raticate: The Mouse Pokémon: The evolved form of Rattata_ ," said Dexter. " _It uses its whiskers to maintain its balance. Apparently, it slows down when they get cut off_."

"Blue's Rattata must have evolved just recently," said Hillary. "So you'd better be careful."

"Don't worry about that, sis. I've got it covered," replied Tristan. He turned to Bulbasaur. "Bulbasaur, return!" He aimed the Pokéball's button at Bulbasaur, which transformed into a red field of energy and disappeared inside. Then he turned to Pikachu. "This is a job for you."

"Pika!" replied Pikachu as it jumped in front of Tristan, ready to face Raticate in battle.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard the first time in "Princess vs. Princess"))_

"Raticate, Tackle attack!" yelled Blue.

Raticate charged toward Pikachu full-body style.

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu sped toward Raticate with a white line trailing behind it, causing it to get the first hit on Raticate.

But Blue wasn't having any more of that. "Now, Raticate, Hyper Fang attack!" he shouted.

Raticate charged toward Pikachu, but this time, with its teeth bared. It bit hard on Pikachu's tail, making Pikachu shout in pain.

"Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Looks like Pikachu's tail is the most sensitive spot!" laughed Blue.

 _I really hate to do this, Blue_ , thought Tristan. Then he ordered out loud, "Pikachu, give it the shock of its life with your Thundershock!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a large stream of electricity shot out of Pikachu's body and coursed through Raticate's body, causing it to lose its grip.

Raticate screamed the whole time during the shock.

"Raticate, no!" cried Blue as he watched with worry.

Raticate struggled to stay on its feet. The static from Pikachu's attack was sparking throughout its body. Eventually, Raticate collapsed and fainted.

"Good job, Pikachu," praised Pikachu. "Is your tail okay?"

"Pika, Pika," nodded Pikachu.

"Hmph!" said Blue. "At least you're raising your Pokémon!"

"Of course," replied Tristan. "What did you expect?"

Squirtle seemed to be pleased with Tristan's win. "Squirtle, Squirtle!" it said happily.

Tristan turned to Squirtle. "Did you like the battle, Squirtle?" he asked it.

"Squirtle!" nodded Squirtle.

"You know," said Blue, "I heard that there was a master Captain on board, but he was just a seasick pathetic old man!"

"Hey!" shouted Tristan and Hillary together.

"Pika!" growled Pikachu.

"I'll let you take care of him while I try to take care of my Raticate," said Blue. "Smell ya!" He laughed and raced away.

"That Blue!" grumbled Tristan. "He burns me up!"

"Just like what the Captain's doing," said Hillary. "Burning up."

"That's right!" gasped Tristan as he suddenly remembered the Captain's seasickness. "Thanks to Blue, I'd forgotten all about that!"

Suddenly, Squirtle raced toward the stairs.

"Wait, Squirtle!" called Hillary.

"Let's follow it," said Tristan. "It may be leading us to the Captain." And he, Hillary, and Pikachu ran after Squirtle to the Captain's cabin.

* * *

The Captain's cabin was a large room with a big steering wheel. Inside it, he was trying to get himself comfortable, but couldn't find a way to do so.

"If only there was someone on board who could help me (hic)," he said.

Just then, the door burst open, and in came Squirtle.

"Squirtle, Squirtle!" it called.

"Hello?" said the Captain.

"We're coming, Squirtle!" The voice who called to Squirtle belonged to Tristan with Hillary and Pikachu in tow.

Then, they rushed into the room at once.

"The Captain doesn't look too good," said Tristan.

"He looks very sick," added Hillary.

"Oh, I feel (urp) awful..." said the Captain weakly. "All the ship's doctors abandoned me."

"Maybe we can help," said Tristan. He walked over behind the captain and began to rub his back.

The Captain's seasickness began to dissipate with each rub.

Tristan continued to rub his back for the next ten minutes.

At last, the Captain said, "Ahhhh, I feel much better. Thank you kindly, young children. You helped me out."

"I was just glad we could help," replied Tristan. "It was thanks to Squirtle that we were able to find you."

"Squirtle!" added Squirtle.

"I thank you all for your help," said the Captain.

Just then, the 23 doctors who ate at the party earlier came to the Captain's room. "We're ready to help you, Captain!" they said.

"Too late, guys," replied Tristan. "The Captain's all better now."

"How did we miss that?" said one of the doctors.

Hillary turned to the doctors with an angry expression on her face. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" she scolded. "The Captain felt really sick and none of you bothered to check on him. Instead, all of you stuffed your faces full of food without caring about what happens! And what if you had no Captain at all? What would happen then, huh?

"I never thought of that," said one doctor.

"Neither did I," said another.

Then the other doctors realized their mistake. "We're very sorry for abandoning you, Captain," they all said. "We promise to make passengers, and especially, you, our first priority from now on."

"That's quite all right," replied the Captain. Then he turned to the steering wheel. "Now that I'm not sick anymore, I guess it's time."

"Before we go," said Tristan, "could you tell us where to find the Vermilion City Gym?"

"I'd be happy to give you directions to the Gym," replied the Captain happily. "You can get a good view from it right out this window."

Tristan and Hillary looked out the window, and sure enough, the Gym was just a hop, skip, and a jump from the harbor.

"Well, it's time for us to cast off," said the Captain. "I'll have our announcer make an announcement."

"Thanks very much, Captain," said Hillary and Tristan.

"Thank you, kids, for your help," replied the Captain.

"Come on, guys, let's get going," said Tristan to his friends. And they left the Captain's room.

It wasn't too long after that another announcement came over the intercom. "May I have your attention please: The Captain has recovered from the seasickness. The party on board the S.S. Anne is now officially over. All guests are asked to disembark, as the S.S. Anne will be departing shortly."

"I guess we'd better get off," said Hillary.

"Right," replied Tristan.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Surf (The Sea) 1997-1998 (M40A)_

A few minutes later, after Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Squirtle got off, the S.S. Anne's whistle blew, and it slowly took off from the harbor, making its way to its next destination.

"I wonder where the S.S. Anne will go for its next party?" said Tristan.

"Who knows?" replied Hillary. "But one thing's for sure: We'll be doing our own travelling around the world."

"That's right," added Tristan. "But first, there's a badge with my name on it waiting inside the Vermilion Gym."

"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

* * *

 _After emerging victorious over Blue once again, and helping out a seasick Captain aboard the S.S. Anne with a little help from Squirtle, Tristan and his friends now focus their attention to his third Gym Battle. What surprises will be waiting for him as he faces off against the Vermilion Gym Leader? Stay tuned to find out!_

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	14. Chapter 14: A SHOCKING SHOWDOWN

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 14 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they make their way around Kanto. The Squirtle Squad makes a brief appearance in this chapter. So does Lieutenant Surge. As always, please read, review, and enjoy.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is ready to face the next Gym Leader, Lieutenant Surge. However, his Raichu seems to be tough. Will it be too tough for Pikachu to handle? Plus, a huge fire burns out of control at the Vermilion Gym. However, the Squirtle has a fear of fighting the fire? Will Squirtle have enough courage to help out?**

 **Chapter 14: A SHOCKING SHOWDOWN**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

 _Last time, Tristan and Hillary went to a party aboard the luxurious ocean liner, the S.S. Anne, in Vermilion City, where they helped a seasick old Captain. While there, they met and befriended a Squirtle, who had been following them since the night before. And once again, after crossing paths with his rival, Blue, Tristan managed to defeat him. Now, Tristan is ready to earn his third badge so he can be one step closer to participating in the Pokémon League._

* * *

"I wonder what the Gym Leader will be like?" said Tristan, as he and Hillary. walked around Vermilion City.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "But I heard that the Gym Leader is electrifying."

Pikachu and Squirtle seemed to agree with her, though they didn't know what the Gym Leader was like themselves.

Just then, a voice shouted from behind them, "There you are, Squirtle!"

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see a young woman with teal hair wearing police attire running up and breathing heavily toward them. It was the Vermilion City Officer Jenny.

Squirtle instantly cringed in fear just as she came up.

"Where have you been, you naughty little Pokémon?" demanded Officer Jenny.

"What's going on, Officer Jenny?" asked Tristan.

"Oh, this Squirtle's been running off every day, and I've always had to chase it down!" she fumed.

"We didn't realize this Squirtle was yours," said Hillary.

"That's just it," replied Officer Jenny. "I just caught this Squirtle always trying to get into mischief, but I never actually caught it in a Pokéball."

"Mischief?" asked Tristan.

"I always have to keep an eye on Squirtle," said Officer Jenny. "But once I take my eyes off of Squirtle for even a second, it just runs off."

"So you're saying this Squirtle is a wild Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

"That's right," replied Officer Jenny. "I don't know how or why, but this Squirtle has always been more trouble than it's worth."

Squirtle felt hurt and started to cry.

"Stop that crying this instant, Squirtle!" ordered Officer Jenny. "You know what happens when you run off!" She took out a pair of handcuffs and started to put them on Squirtle's left arm.

"Wait, Officer Jenny!" called Tristan. "This Squirtle didn't cause any trouble for us!"

"How do you know that?" demanded Officer Jenny.

"Because if it hadn't been for Squirtle, we wouldn't have been able to find the seasick Captain on the S.S. Anne!" replied Hillary.

"It saw the Captain in a terrible state and alerted us to it," added Tristan. "Right, Squirtle?"

"Squirtle, Squirtle!" nodded Squirtle, who was still trembling at the handcuffs.

"Hasn't it shot water at you for a practical joke or something?" asked Officer Jenny.

"Not a drop," answered Hillary.

"Please don't put these handcuffs on Squirtle just because it ran off," pleaded Tristan. "It wanted to help us because it knew something we didn't."

"Hmmmm," thought Officer Jenny. She pondered on the issue. Then at last, she said, "All right, I'll make you a deal."

"What do you want us to do?" asked Hillary.

"I want you to defeat the Gym Leader and earn that Gym's Badge, then maybe I will see about giving this Squirtle to you," suggested Officer Jenny. "And to add to that, I will be watching your battle with Squirtle in the bleachers. This will be a test to see if you can do a better job of raising this Squirtle. What do you say?"

Now it was Tristan's turn to think. Finally, he said, "You've got a deal, Officer Jenny. That badge is as good as won."

"In the meantime," said Officer Jenny, "I will be taking this Squirtle back home for the night."

"All right then," said Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary said goodbye to Officer Jenny and Squirtle and watched them head home for the night, but not long after, they saw the door of the Vermilion City Gym open. Out stepped a large, tall man with yellow short spiked hair. He seemed to be dressed for the military.

He walked up to Tristan and Hillary and said, "Well, so which one of you is going to be my first challenger tomorrow morning?" he said.

Tristan had never seen anyone so tall. He looked up and said, "I am."

The man seemed to smile. Then he chuckled and said, "Okay, baby, I will accept your challenge!"

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

Tristan was a little offended by being called a baby. "My name's Tristan, thank you very much!" he said angrily.

"Everyone who's lost to me or hasn't beaten me yet gets to be called 'baby,'" the man replied.

"Just who are you, and what right do you have calling challengers babies?!" demanded Hillary.

The man chuckled and answered, "The name is Lieutenant Surge, but you can just call me Surge for short."

"Well, Surge, I'll be ready for you," said Tristan.

"You'd better be prepared for the defeat of a lifetime," taunted Lt. Surge. Then he looked down and saw Pikachu at Tristan's feet. "Well, well, a Pikachu! Maybe this Pikachu will lose to this Pokémon!" He took out a Pokéball from one of his pockets.

It opened and out came what appeared to be a bipedal rodent Pokémon. It had orange fur and a white belly, plus it had yellow sacs on its cheeks. It didn't look too friendly at all. In fact, it looked mean.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Raichu: The Mouse Pokémon: The evolved form of Pikachu,"_ it answered. _"Raichu can shock with more than 100,000 volts of electricity, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious."_

"That doesn't sound nice at all," said Hillary. "Are you sure you're up to the challenge?"

Tristan turned to see Pikachu glaring at Raichu. Then he turned to Lt. Surge and said, "All right, you're on, Surge. I'll prove to you that Pikachu can defeat that Raichu.

"Well, then, you'd better rest up, baby," advised Lt. Surge. "After all, your Pikachu won't feel the same when it loses tomorrow, but if you want to improve your chances, use this." He tossed Tristan a strange green stone with a yellow lightning bolt on it.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

"It's a Thunder Stone," replied Lt. Surge. "You can use the Thunder Stone to make that Pikachu of yours evolve, if you want to, but I suggest you do it tomorrow just so you don't face defeat." He laughed and walked away.

"That Surge!" growled Tristan. "I'll show him who's better."

"You'd better think carefully before you use that Thunder Stone," advised Hillary. "Once Pikachu evolves into Raichu, you can't change it back."

"I'll let Pikachu decide for itself," said Tristan as he and the others made their way to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

That night, in the Pokémon Center's bedroom, Tristan was alone, thinking long and hard about what Lt. Surge had said.

His words repeated in Tristan's head: "You can use the Thunder Stone to make that Pikachu of yours evolve, if you want to, but I suggest you do it tomorrow just so you don't face defeat."

Just then, Hillary and Pikachu entered the room.

"Hi, big bro!" said Hillary.

"Hey, sis," replied Tristan in a melancholy voice.

"What's wrong, Tris?" asked Hillary.

"I've just been thinking about what Surge said," replied Tristan. "If Pikachu evolves, it'll get stronger. On the other hand, I shouldn't force Pikachu to evolve if it doesn't want to.

"It sounds like you've been thinking very carefully," said Hillary. "You even forgot to eat dinner."

"Did I really miss dinner?" asked Tristan.

"I asked Nurse Joy if she could save some food for you," said Hillary. She handed him a plate of pizza.

"Thanks, sis, but what about you and Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

"We already ate," said Hillary. "This pizza is just for you."

Tristan was touched by Hillary's generosity. "You're a real pal," said Tristan as he started digging into the pizza.

Hillary grinned. "I knew that would cheer you up," she said.

Suddenly, Pikachu saw the Thunder Stone and hid behind Hillary's legs

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Then, Hillary saw the Thunder Stone. "It looks like your choice is clear," she said.

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan. He was a little puzzled.

Hillary explained further. "I mean that Pikachu is afraid of the Thunder Stone. In other words, it doesn't want to evolve."

"That explains why Pikachu hid behind you just now," added Tristan. Then he turned to Pikachu. "Is Hillary right? Do you want to stay the way you are now?"

Pikachu nodded its head hard.

"Then it's decided," said Tristan. "Tomorrow, we will prove to Lt. Surge that you're fine just the way you are!"

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" said Hillary excitedly.

Presently, Tristan yawned. "Well, we should get some sleep," he said. "We've got a big Gym Battle tomorrow.

"I'm with you," said Hillary.

Tristan put away the Thunder Stone in his bag as he and Hillary got ready for bed. Then they fell asleep wondering what would have happened if Pikachu had wanted to evolve.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Boy Trainer Appears (as heard in "Primeape Goes Bananas"))_

Tristan and Pikachu were up early the next morning preparing for the Gym Battle against Lieutenant Surge. They knew that his Raichu was going to be tough to beat so they started their workout by jogging to improve their stamina. Next, they worked on Pikachu's attacks, offensive and defensive. After an hour of training, they came back to the Pokémon Center.

Hillary was waiting for them. "Are you feeling confident?" asked Hillary.

"We are," replied Tristan, "plus Pikachu learned a new attack."

"That's great!" said Hillary. "I can hardly wait to see what it is!"

"Then let's go to the Gym," said Tristan. And off they went, but not for long for just then...

"Squirtle, Squirtle!"

They turned around to see Squirtle frantically approaching them.

Hillary was a little surprised. "Isn't that the same Squirtle from yesterday?" she asked.

"Yes, you're right," answered Tristan.

"Tristan, Hillary!" called another voice.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

It was Officer Jenny, who caught up with Squirtle by this time.

"What's going on, Officer Jenny?" asked Tristan.

"There's a fire at the Vermilion Gym and we have no time to lose!" she answered. "Come on, Squirtle!" And she and Squirtle took off again.

"Let's follow them," suggested Tristan. "They're going to need some help."

"Right behind you," replied Hillary as she and Tristan raced after Squirtle and Officer Jenny.

* * *

Tristan and his friends arrived at the Vermilion City Gym a few minutes later. Flames were already ripping through the walls.

"This is terrible!" said Tristan. "We've got to do something!"

"But what can we do?" asked Hillary. "We don't have any Water Pokémon to put out the fire except Squirtle."

Just then, a large, tall man with short yellow spiky hair in military attire emerged from the Gym with a Raichu not far behind. It was Lieutenant Surge, whom Tristan and Hillary met the day before. "Please, you've got to help me, Officer!" he implored.

"Tell me what happened," said Officer Jenny.

"My Raichu and I were hoping to decorate the gym with electric lights to give it a flashy and electrifying appeal for the challengers," he explained, "but somehow one of the wires started to spark and rip apart. Once that happened, smoke started to cover the battlefield. Then the wires ignited into this gigantic calamity. We didn't have any fire extinguishers inside."

Officer Jenny was not amused. "Surge, you should know better than to decorate your Gym with defective wires," she scolded.

"I didn't know they were broken," said Lieutenant Surge.

"Is there anyone else inside?" asked Officer Jenny.

"No, ma'am," replied Lieutenant Surge. "The Gym Trainers haven't arrived yet, so it was just us."

"You're very fortunate that it was just you two inside and you escaped unharmed," said Officer Jenny. She turned to Squirtle. "Okay, Squirtle, let's put out the fire."

But Squirtle stood motionless.

"Come on, Squirtle, we've got to put out the fire before the Gym burns to the ground!" she said, raising her voice.

Squirtle still just stood there, trembling as the fire intensified.

"What's going on with Squirtle?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know," replied Tristan. "Maybe this Squirtle is afraid of fires."

"That's impossible," said Officer Jenny. "Water Pokémon have a huge advantage over fires. It would be embarrassing if Squirtle couldn't fight this fire."

Just then, a huge explosion knocked everyone off their feet. The flames instantly grew hotter and bigger.

Nobody was hurt from the blast, but Lieutenant Surge knew what just blew up. "My fuse box!" he cried.

"Surge, that's the least of our problems!" exclaimed Officer Jenny. She then took out her radio. "Dispatch, this is Officer Jenny! We have a fire and explosion. I need all available firefighters at the Vermilion Gym immediately!"

"10-4, Officer Jenny," replied the dispatcher on the radio.

"Hurry, let's run for it!" ordered Officer Jenny as she motioned everyone to get away from the burning Gym. She followed close behind Lieutenant Surge, the kids, and Pikachu.

However, as he was running, Tristan noticed that Squirtle wasn't following them. "Where's Squirtle?" he gasped.

"Wasn't it with you, Officer Jenny?" asked Hillary.

"I thought it was, but I don't see it!" panted Officer Jenny.

"Look there!" cried Tristan, pointing to the entrance to the Gym.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Sure enough, there was Squirtle,, who was still at the entrance of the burning Vermilion Gym. It had fallen on its back and couldn't get up. To make matters worse, a giant piece of burning debris fell off the Gym and was heading straight toward it!

"Squirtle!" exclaimed Tristan as he ran back to the Gym, hoping he would reach it in time.

"Tristan, no!" cried Hillary as she ran after him.

"Stay back!" shouted Officer Jenny, stopping her. "It's too dangerous!"

But Tristan was already at the burning Gym. He got to Squirtle and grabbed it, and then, at the last second, tumbled out of the way just as the burning debris hit the ground. He shielded Squirtle from the dust and smoke that followed.

When the dust cleared, Tristan opened his eyes and picked himself up. "Are you okay, Squirtle?" he asked it.

"Squirtle!" replied Squirtle as it opened its eyes. It seemed to be shaken, but it wasn't hurt. Then it shamefully buried its face in Tristan's clothes.

"What's wrong, Squirtle?" asked a sympathetic Tristan. "Are you afraid of that big fire?"

Squirtle sadly nodded its head.

"It's okay, Squirtle," said Tristan. "Fires like this one can be very scary, and it's all right to be afraid of them." He paused for a second. "But you know what? You have to at least try."

Squirtle looked into Tristan's eyes.

"You've got the courage to help out with this fire...because I believe in you."

"Squirtle?" it said.

"Let's do this...together!" said Tristan.

"Squirtle!" it said. It jumped out of Tristan's arms and faced the fire.

Hillary and the others watched Tristan and Squirtle a safe distance away from the Gym.

"I hope Tristan knows what he's doing," said Hillary worriedly.

Officer Jenny was worried, too. "I just hope that Squirtle is ready for this challenge," she said. "The fire department is still a long distance away from us."

"Please save my Gym," whined Lieutenant Surge.

"WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, OKAY?!" screamed Officer Jenny.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Battle (as heard in "Navel Maneuvers"))_

"Okay, are you ready, Squirtle?" asked Tristan.

Squirtle nodded its head hard.

"Use your Water Gun attack on that fire!" he instructed.

Without a moment's hesitation, Squirtle shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth at the fire. Despite its fear of the fire, Squirtle kept going with everything it had.

"You can do it, Squirtle!" encouraged Tristan.

Minutes went by, and Hillary and Officer Jenny anxiously waited for the slightest change a safe distance from the Gym.

"Do you think Squirtle will be able to hold out until the fire department arrives?" asked Hillary.

"As much as I am impressed with Tristan and Squirtle's teamwork, I sure hope so," answered Officer Jenny.

Presently, another Officer Jenny and a team of four Squirtle wearing round sunglasses arrived on the scene on an extended motorcycle. "Officer Jenny and the Squirtle Squad are here for firefighting duty, ma'am," she announced.

"The Squirtle Squad?" asked Hillary.

"We're glad you're here," said the first Jenny. "Tristan and another Squirtle have been fighting the fire single-handed for several minutes now. I need you and the Squad to take over for them. They've been working so hard."

"We're on the job, ma'am," said the second Jenny. She turned to the other four Squirtle. "Let's go, Squad!"

"Squirtle!" replied the four Squirtle as they and the second Officer Jenny rushed to Tristan and Squirtle's aid.

Meanwhile at the fire, Tristan and Squirtle had reached their limit.

"Just a little more, Squirtle," encouraged Tristan.

Sweat was dropping down Squirtle's face as it got tired.

Suddenly, another giant piece of burning debris fell off the Gym and headed straight toward Squirtle and Tristan. It was too big for them to dodge. They braced themselves for the inevitable when presently, four powerful streams of water shot the debris away from them.

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 M01B)_

Tristan and Squirtle turned to see the four other Squirtle and the second Officer Jenny had gotten to them just in time.

"Are you all right?" she asked him.

"We are now, thanks to you," replied Tristan.

"Squirtle!" agreed Squirtle.

"You should get back to the others," advised the second Jenny. "You and Squirtle have worked hard, but we'll take over now."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," said Tristan. "Come on, Squirtle." And he and Squirtle left the fire to rejoin the others a safe distance away.

Hillary and the first Jenny were very happy to see them unharmed.

"I'm so happy to see you," said Hillary as she embraced Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with her.

The first Officer Jenny turned to Tristan. "You risked your safety to ensure Squirtle's safety," she said. "And not only that, you and Squirtle were able to work together on that fire. I'm very impressed at how you did it."

"Squirtle's the one that deserves the credit," replied Tristan.

"Perhaps you and Squirtle would be a great team, after all," said the first Jenny.

"That's nice of you to say," said Tristan. "But Pikachu and I would still want to have a Gym battle as soon as this situation is over, and I'd like you and Squirtle to come and watch."

"We'd be happy to," replied the first Jenny. She turned to Lieutenant Surge. "What do you think?"

Lieutenant Surge thought about it and finally said, "You got yourself a deal, kid. We'll use the battlefield out back as soon as this is over."

* * *

When the fire was out a few hours later, there was extensive damage to the Gym, inside and out. However, Lieutenant Surge lead Tristan and the others to the battlefield in the back of the Gym, which was miraculously untouched. When they got there, Lieutenant Surge and Tristan took their places.

"Let's make this a one-on-one battle. Agreed?" suggested Lieutenant Surge.

"Agreed!" answered Tristan.

"I don't plan on going easy on you, baby," advised Lieutenant Surge. "Raichu and I will shock you into surrender!"

"Don't be so sure, Surge," said Tristan. "Pikachu and I worked long and hard for this moment, and we don't plan to lose!"

"Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

As Hillary and Officer Jenny looked on from the bleachers, Hillary asked, "Do you think Pikachu can beat that Raichu?"

"It's hard to say for sure," replied Officer Jenny. "Raichu may have the advantage when it comes to size, but we'll see if Tristan really has a trick or two up his sleeve."

"Squirtle," added Squirtle.

 _(Music Cue: Gym 2 1997-1998 (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

"Let's do it, Pikachu, Thundershock!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu shot a yellow stream of electricity toward Raichu and seemed to score a hit, but Raichu just stood there, completely unfazed by the attack.

"Now, Raichu, show them a real Thundershock!" ordered Lieutenant Surge.

Raichu shot a yellow stream of electricity toward Pikachu, but this one was more powerful than Pikachu's Thundershock.

Pikachu stood there, taking the hit, but took on more damage than Raichu.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" encouraged Tristan. "This battle isn't over yet!"

"Do it, Raichu!" ordered Lieutenant Surge. "Give it a Body Slam!"

Raichu lunged toward Pikachu and proceeded to use its full weight to crush it.

"Quick, Pikachu, it's time to show them our new move!" shouted Tristan. "Agility now!"

Instantly, Pikachu started to run on all fours. Then, just as Raichu was about to land on it, Pikachu vanished and reappeared in a different spot on the battlefield.

"Keep attacking it with Body Slam, Raichu!" commanded Lieutenant Surge.

"Pikachu, keep using your Agility!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu kept running while Raichu kept attacking. Each time Raichu was about to land an attack, Pikachu vanished and reappeared in a different spot.

"Now confuse Raichu, Pikachu!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu quickly circled around Raichu over and over again, faster and faster until Raichu got dizzy...it was moving too fast for it.

"Raichu, give it a Thunderbolt!" yelled Lieutenant Surge.

Raichu shot another yellow stream of electricity at Pikachu, but this stream was more powerful than the last one.

However, Pikachu was running so fast that Raichu missed its mark.

"Give it all you got, Raichu, until you hit your target!" shouted Lieutenant Surge.

Raichu tried again and again to hit Pikachu with its powerful Thunderbolt attack, but Pikachu proved to be way too fast for it.

"Now, what's Tristan doing?" asked Hillary.

"I see what he's doing!" said Officer Jenny. "Tristan must have figured that Surge had evolved his Raichu way too soon, so it couldn't learn all the speed attacks it could learn, like Quick Attack and Agility, while as a Pikachu! If they keep up the speed, then they just might see a victory in no time!"

It was true. Tristan's strategy to wear Raichu down was working perfectly.

Raichu had sweat dropping from its face. It had tired out.

"Quick, Raichu, give it another Thunderbolt!" ordered Lieutenant Surge.

Sparks sizzled from Raichu's cheeks, but Raichu couldn't muster enough strength to fire another Thunderbolt because it used up too much electricity.

"Uh, Raichu, what's wrong?" said Lieutenant Surge.

"Now's our chance, Pikachu, Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu sped toward Raichu with a white line trailing behind it. Thanks to the speed boost it got from Agility, its Quick Attack struck Raichu with such force that it sent it flying.

"Raichu!" cried Lieutenant Surge.

Raichu had a dazed look in its eyes. The Pokémon had fainted.

"Way to go, Pikachu!" praised Tristan.

Pikachu replied happily.

"Tristan did it!" cheered Hillary.

Officer Jenny and Squirtle happily looked on. "I'm very impressed," she said. "Tristan just might have what it takes after all."

Squirtle agreed happily.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge"))_

Some time later at the Gym's entrance, Tristan and Lieutenant Surge complimented Pikachu and Raichu for a job well done. Their Pokémon ended up respecting one another because they battled so hard.

"That was a great battle, Tristan," said Lieutenant Surge. "I definitely have no regrets about losing this battle,"

"Thank you, Surge," replied Tristan.

"You remind me so much of another Trainer with another Pikachu," added Surge. "Your strategy of outrunning my Raichu with your Pikachu's speed proves it. From now on, I will study up on Pikachu and Raichu's attacks and help them learn as many attacks as possible before I decide to let my Pokémon evolve.

"That's great news, Surge," said Tristan. "I know you can do it."

"So do I, Surge," added Hillary. "We believe in you."

Lieutenant Surge turned to Officer Jenny and Squirtle. "And Officer Jenny," he said, "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble with that fire this morning."

"It's part of my job," replied Officer Jenny. "I deal with worse cases every day. We were just very lucky that nobody got hurt today."

"I'm going to spend as much time as I can to get the Vermilion Gym up and running again," said Lieutenant Surge. "I will have my Gym Trainers come and help me rebuild."

"That's the spirit," said Hillary.

Lieutenant Surge turned to Tristan and took something out of his pocket. "This is a Thunder Badge, Tristan," he said. "It is proof that you defeated me in the Vermilion Gym, building or no building." He handed the badge to Tristan.

"Thanks a lot, Surge," replied Tristan.

"And Tristan," said Officer Jenny, "because you battled bravely and emerged victorious against Lieutenant Surge and because you and Squirtle worked well together to try and extinguish the fire, I would like to give you this Squirtle to take along with you on your journey."

"Wow, Officer Jenny," said Tristan. "Thank you so much!" Then, he turned to Squirtle. "Would you like to come along with us, Squirtle?"

"Squirtle, Squirtle, Squirt!" it cried happily as it jumped out of Officer Jenny's arms and into Tristan's.

Tristan stood tall and proudly proclaimed, "I got a Thunder Badge and Squirtle, too!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" cried Pikachu happily.

"Squirtle, Squirtle!" added Squirtle.

"That's great, Tristan," said Hillary. "Now you have another new friend and another badge."

"Take good care of Squirtle," said Officer Jenny.

"I will," promised Tristan.

* * *

 _Not only did Tristan defeat Lieutenant Surge and earn another badge, he also has another new Pokémon, Squirtle, to add to the family. With another new adventure sealed in their memories, our heroes continue on their journey._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	15. Chapter 15: PLAY DAZE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! It's been a while, but here is Chapter 15 of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's continuing adventures in Kanto. I thought I'd put in an instrumental version of You Can Do It (If You Really Try) in this chapter. The song was co-produced and arranged by John Siegler while the lead vocalist is John Loeffler. This chapter is a little shorter than some of the others, but as always, please feel free to read, review, and enjoy.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary take a day off to kick back and relax at the beach, but after some chaos, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle meet another kid in the center of town. They have their own differences, but what is something they all have in common?**

 **Chapter 15: PLAY DAZE**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _Our heroes are still continuing their journey, but today they're taking a trip by ferry from Vermilion City to the town of Porta Vista. It's a nice way to take a rest, especially after earning three badges so far._

"This is a great way to take a break, isn't it?" said Hillary excitedly.

"I was kind of hoping to get my next badge soon," replied Tristan. "But I guess a break at the beach would be a good way to kick back and relax for awhile."

"Relax, Tristan," said Hillary. "That's what you need to do. You need to think about other things besides training your Pokémon all the time.

That gave Tristan an idea. "Why don't we let the Pokémon enjoy a day of fun in the sun as soon as we get there?" he suggested.

"Okay," said Hillary.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Sunbasking)_

When they got to Porta Vista, Tristan and Hillary made a quick change into their swim gear and made their way straight to the beach.

"Come on out, everyone!" called Tristan as he threw five of his Pokéballs into the air.

Pidgeotto, Butterfree, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle all materialized from the white lights that shot out of them.

Squirtle was nervous at the presence of Tristan's other four Pokémon.

Tristan explained the situation to his other Pokémon. "There's no reason to be suspicious, guys," he said. "This is Squirtle, your newest friend and the newest member of our team."

The other Pokémon then greeted Squirtle warmly after that.

"Hey, guys, let's take a day off to just kick back, relax, and play," suggested Tristan.

The Pokémon agreed that it was a good idea.

Tristan then turned to Hillary. "Let's go swimming!" he said.

"Good idea!" replied Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary ran into the water and began to play. They swam and splashed water onto each other.

Squirtle enjoyed swimming in the water even more than they did.

Pikachu and Bulbasaur rested on the warm sand.

Butterfree and Pidgeotto flew gently through the air, enjoying the nice weather.

A little water splashed onto Charmander. As a result, Charmander ran from the water so it wouldn't get wet.

"No surprise there," said Hillary as she looked on. "Charmander hates the water."

"I guess we should be a little more careful," said Tristan.

"Charmander should be a safe distance away at this point," replied Hillary.

"Okay, but what about you?" teased Tristan as he splashed water onto Hillary. He began to swim away.

"Hey, get back here, you!" said Hillary as she happily swam after him to try and splash him back.

* * *

A little while later, as Tristan and Hillary finished their swim, they found a beach ball they could play with. They invited the Pokémon to play along with them.

"Le't hit the beach ball around," suggested Tristan.

The Pokémon happily agreed to Tristan's idea.

Tristan hit the ball first. The ball flew toward Pidgeotto, who used its left wing to thrust the ball toward Squirtle, who used its head to hit the ball toward Bulbasaur.

"Way to use your head, Squirtle," said Hillary.

Bulbasaur jumped and used its head to thrust the bell toward Charmander, who then used its tail to unintentionally toss the ball into the center of town, much to Tristan and Hillary's surprise.

Charmander scratched its head.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to get the ball," sighed Tristan.

"I know," replied Hillary. "But where did it go?"

Squirtle came and scolded Charmander for thrusting the ball with its tail too hard.

Charmander scolded Squirtle for being a lousy player and for having no neck.

Bulbasaur tried to stop them, but was struck in the bulb on the right side by Charmander's Flamethrower and on the left side by Squirtle's Water Gun. Bulbasaur glared at the two Pokémon and tackled them, causing all three of them to start fighting. They pushed and shoved one another into a heated brawl that didn't seem to end.

"Come on, guys, knock it off!" ordered Tristan.

"There's no reason to fight," added Hillary.

But Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur continued, and there was no way to stop them.

Pikachu saw the commotion and tried to stop them itself, but failed when it was shoved out of the fight. This made Pikachu very angry, causing it to launch a huge bolt of electricity at everyone in the vicinity to stop the fighting, much to Tristan and Hillary's shock.

Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur lay in a heap beside Tristan and Hillary, who lay in a heap of their own.

"Well, that's one way to stop a fight," said Hillary.

Pikachu scratched its head.

Tristan came to Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. He was not very happy. "You three should know better," he scolded. "That's no way to treat your friends, especially when they're having fun with you."

The three Pokémon sadly hung their faces in guilt. They felt bad about the chaos that they caused.

"Maybe we should test their friendship with one another to see if they can bring the ball back to us," whispered Hillary to Tristan.

"Okay," replied Tristan. He turned to the Pokémon. "Okay, guys. Hillary and I have suggested that you three work together to try and bring the beach ball back to us. Can you do that?"

The three Pokémon happily nodded their response and set off to find the beach ball.

"Do you think the Pokémon will be okay on their own?" asked Tristan nervously.

"Don't you see?" said Hillary. "This is a test for them in two ways: The first is to test their friendship. And the second is to see how well they do on their own, especially if we can't always be there with them.

"I guess that's true," said Tristan.

"Now that that's settled, let's relax in the sun," said Hillary.

"Okay," replied Tristan

Pikachu came along with Tristan and Hillary to two beach chairs while Pidgeotto and Butterfree flew alongside.

* * *

Meanwhile in the center of Porta Vista, the beach ball was rolling along. It was noticed by an innocent little passerby, who was approximately seven years of age. He was waiting outside of a convenience store, but when he noticed the ball, he ran after the ball and picked it up.

"Oh, wow!" he said. "I found a beach ball!"

It turned out that he had never actually played with a beach ball before. He'd seen many beach balls throughout his young life, but now, he had found one and wanted to keep it.

Just then, a young lady came out of the convenience store with a little sack of groceries. "Okay, Roger, I got what we needed," she said.

"Hey, Mommy!" said Roger excitedly. "I found a beach ball!"

"You did?" she said.

"Yeah, it just rolled to me!" replied Roger.

"May I see?" asked her mother.

Roger handed the beach ball over to her mother, who wanted to get a better look to see if it belonged to somebody.

"This is an interesting ball," she said. "But I don't think we can keep this one."

"Why not, Mommy?" asked Roger.

"Because even though I can't see any kind of writing on this ball, there's a good chance that it belongs to someone," she replied.

"Okay," sighed Roger.

"I know you like that beach ball," said her mother, understandably. "But let's see if we can find its owner."

And they both set off to begin the search.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Today's Pokémon Curiosity 1997-1998)_

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle were searching for the beach ball so they could play some more.

Just then, Charmander spotted the ball in Roger's hands. Charmander ran to him and his mother. "Char, Char!" it said.

"Look, Mommy!" said Roger. "A Charmander!"

"Yes, I see," replied Roger's mother.

"May we keep it?" asked Roger hopefully.

"Now hold on, Roger," cautioned his mother. "You don't know if this Charmander belongs to anyone or not. However, you might be able to get it to play with you for a little while."

"Really? I can play with it?" he asked.

"Sure you can," replied his mother, "if you're careful."

"Okay," said Roger. He turned to Charmander. "Would you like to play ball with me?"

"Charmander," replied Charmander. It called to Bulbasaur and Squirtle to join it.

Roger was getting even more excited. "Are those your friends, Charmander?" he asked.

Charmander nodded.

Bulbasaur and Squirtle introduced themselves to Roger warmly.

"Now we can all play together!" said Roger excitedly.

Roger and the Pokémon got into a circle as they started another game.

"I'll go first," said Roger as he hit the ball toward Charmander.

Charmander used its tail to hit the ball toward Squirtle, who used its head to thrust the ball in Bulbasaur's direction.

Bulbasaur used its hind legs to hit it back to Roger, who hit it back to Squirtle.

"This is fun, isn't it?" said Roger excitedly.

 _(Music Cue: You Can Do It (If You Really Try) (instrumental version as heard in "Bound For Trouble"))_

All the Pokémon agreed that it was fun. But deep down, they missed Tristan very much. They remembered all the adventures that they had so far with Tristan not too long ago.

* * *

Bulbasaur remembered the time when Tristan went out of his way to comfort it even when it attacked him because it hated humans. But now that it had made new friends, it wanted to keep on adventuring with him.

When Charmander followed Tristan and Hillary at the Nugget Bridge, it remembered when it was saved from falling in the river by Tristan and Bulbasaur because they didn't want its flame to go out.

Squirtle remembered when Tristan worked with it to put out a huge fire at the Vermilion City Gym. It was shown that even though it had a mischievous personality to some people at first, it was shown that there were people that can be friendly to it.

All three haven't been with Tristan for very long, but together, they learned about friendship, trust, and teamwork from him because they knew that he would be a great Trainer to be around. And they were certain that they would learn more as they continued their journey.

* * *

Roger noticed the somewhat sad looks on their faces. "What's wrong, guys?" he asked. "Don't you like playing ball?"

"You know, sweetie," said his mother as she approached. "I think these Pokémon belong to a Trainer, and I think they miss him."

Roger turned to the Pokémon, who were still looking sad. "Is this true, guys?" he asked. "Do you miss your Trainer?"

The Pokémon nodded.

"That's understandable," said Roger's mother. "You three seemed to have learned so much from your Trainer, even though you haven't been with him for very long."

"Do you think we should go find him, Mommy?" asked Roger.

"I think that's a great idea," replied her mother. "Let's find their Trainer."

"Okay, guys," said Roger. "Are you ready to go?"

The Pokémon replied happily and led the way.

"Wait for us, guys!" called Roger as he and his mother followed them.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the beach, Tristan and Hillary were just waking up from their naps on the beach chairs.

"That was great," yawned Hillary, who stretched her arms and legs.

"I agree," yawned Tristan.

Pikachu, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto yawned and stretched as they woke up, too.

Then, Tristan noticed that Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle hadn't returned with the ball yet. "That's weird," he said.

"What's weird?" asked Hillary.

"Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle haven't come back yet," answered Tristan.

"You're right," agreed Hillary. "They all should have been back by now."

"I'm starting to get worried," said Tristan. "Do you think we should go find them?"

"It's not a bad idea," replied Hillary. "Maybe they got lost or something."

Just then, Tristan and Hillary heard three happy voices. They belonged to Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle.

The three Pokémon dashed to their Trainer, who was very happy to see them safe and sound. They jumped into his arms, causing him to fall on his back.

"It's good to see you guys," said Tristan happily.

They all hugged each other for a long time.

"They're obviously happy," said Hillary.

Just then, they saw two more people. They were Roger and his mother.

"Are you two friends with these three Pokémon?" asked Roger.

"It looks like they know that boy, is that right?" said Roger's mother.

"Yes, Tristan is their Trainer," replied Hillary.

"And look what we found!" said Roger, tossing them the beach ball to Hillary.

Hillary was amazed. "It's our beach ball!" she said. "Did you get a chance to play with the Pokémon?"

"Yes, we did!" replied Roger. He turned to his mother. "May I play with the Pokémon and his friends?"

"If it's okay with them," replied her mother.

He ran over to Tristan, Hillary, and the Pokémon. "My name's Roger. May I play with you?"

"Sure, Roger!" replied Tristan happily. "My name's Tristan. The more, the merrier."

"And my name's Hillary," said Hillary. "It's nice to meet you. Now let's play ball!"

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued (sample)_

Everyone cheered for the idea and got into a circle and hit the beach ball back and forth for the rest of the day.

* * *

 _Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle have sorted out their differences and found out that they have one thing in common: the friendship and trust they have in their friends, Tristan and Hillary. And after a fun day at the beach, it will be back to adventure as they make their way to the next Gym._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	16. Chapter 16: A ROCKY ROAD

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 16 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they make their way through Kanto. As always, please feel free to read, review, and provide any feedback, story, music cues, and all.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are forced to travel through the deep dark Rock Tunnel on the way to Lavender Town. To make matters worse, there are Rock Pokémon inside. Will our heroes make it through safely?**

 **Chapter 16: A ROCKY ROAD**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After spending a fun-filled day in Porta Vista, Tristan and his friends have now returned to Vermilion City; however, their directions for travel have been limited due to..._

"A giant sleeping Pokémon?!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary together. They were just getting the latest updates from Officer Jenny.

"That's right," she answered. "A giant sleeping Pokémon has blocked the entrance to the cave on Route 11, causing the road between here and Lavender Town to be closed off."

"Well, that stinks!" said Hillary.

"I thin you mean that sleeps," corrected Tristan.

"And not only that," said Officer Jenny, "as you may recall, all entrances to Saffron City are closed because of an impending threat."

"What threat?" asked Tristan.

"I'm not sure exactly," replied Officer Jenny. "But the guards all say that they're thirsty and won't let anyone pass through."

"So what do we do?" asked Hillary.

"The only way to get to Lavender Town is to go through the deep, dark Rock Tunnel on Route 9," explained Officer Jenny. "First, you'll need a light to help you get through."

"I don't know if we have any light with us." said Tristan.

"Don't be silly, Tristan," said Hillary. "Charmander's tail flame is the perfect source of light. It can help us get through the darkness."

"That's right!" said Tristan. "How could I forget that?"

"But that's not all," said Officer Jenny. "The Rock Tunnel is full of rough, tough Rock Pokémon. So be careful in there."

"Squirtle can keep us covered," said Tristan.

"Speaking of which, how is Squirtle doing?" asked Officer Jenny.

"It's doing well, Officer Jenny," answered Tristan. "It played along with my other Pokémon the other day and got along just fine."

"I'm so pleased to hear it," said Officer Jenny.

"So how do we get to Route 9?" asked Hillary.

"You'll have to go back to Cerulean City by way of the underground tunnel you took to get here," explained Officer Jenny. "Then go east of Cerulean City to Route 9 and you should be able to reach the Rock Tunnel."

Tristan took out his map. "That sure is a long detour," he said. "Hopefully, my Pokémon will hold out long enough until we get to Lavender Town."

"If you're that concerned, there's a Pokémon Center next to the Rock Tunnel," said Officer Jenny. "It should be on your map."

Tristan took a closer look at his map and sure enough, he saw that there was a Pokémon Center right next to the Rock Tunnel.

"Thanks for the directions, Officer Jenny," said Hillary.

"You're welcome, and good luck on your journey, kids!" replied Officer Jenny as she left to go back to the police station.

So Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu left for Route 6 to retrace their steps to Cerulean City.

* * *

When they emerged from the underground entrance on Route 5 a little while later, it didn't take them very long to reach the city limits.

It was there that Tristan decided to give his Pokémon a quick checkup at the Pokémon Center. "Could you please take care of my Pokémon, Nurse Joy?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll take care of them," replied Nurse Joy happily. Taking care of Pokémon, even when they weren't injured, was one favorite part of being a nurse in her eyes. She took Tristan's five Pokéballs and Pikachu into the examination room.

Tristan then turned to Hillary. "Maybe we should give Grandma a call first," he suggested.

"That's a good idea," replied Hillary. "It's best that we tell them what we've been up to.

They hurried over to one of the video phones and called their grandmother, Veronica.

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Center 1997-1998 M77B)_

The video screen turned on and Veronica's face appeared. She seemed cheerful as usual.

"Hi, Grandma!" said Tristan. "It's us!"

"Well, hello, children!" said Veronica happily. "It's nice to see you again. How are things going?"

"So far, so good," replied Hillary. "We're taking a quick break in Cerulean City before we go through the Rock Tunnel."

"Hmmm..." said Veronica. "That will be an interesting adventure." She paused for a second to think. "Do you have a plan for getting past the Rock Tunnel?"

"We heard that it was dark in there," said Hillary. "So we thought we could use Charmander's tail flame as a source of light to get through it."

"And Squirtle can keep us covered with its Water Gun attack if any Rock Pokémon attack us," added Tristan.

"Those are very good plans," said Veronica. "But did you know that Grass Pokémon are also good sources for backup?"

"They are?" said Tristan and Hillary together. They were puzzled.

"Besides Water Pokémon, Grass Pokémon have a huge advantage against Rock Pokémon," explained Veronica. "So, if you have a Grass Pokémon with you, I'd suggest you have it ready for battle just in case your Squirtle runs into any problems."

"Hey, Tristan," whispered Hillary. "It sounds like your Bulbasaur might come in handy as well."

"All right," said Tristan. He was filled with determination. "As soon as my Pokémon are good to go, we will be, too."

"That's the spirit," said Veronica. "Once you reach the Pokémon Center next to the Rock Tunnel, give me a call."

"We will," said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, kids," said Veronica. "I love you, and good luck."

"Thanks," said Tristan and Hillary together as the video screen turned off.

Presently, Nurse Joy came out of the examination room with Pikachu and Tristan's five other Pokémon. They were all very happy.

"Tristan, your Pokémon are all rested up and good to go," said Nurse Joy. "You've obviously been taking good care of them."

"Well, I try, anyway," replied Tristan. He turned to his Pokémon. "Are we ready to go through the Rock Tunnel?"

The Pokémon replied excitedly, ready for the challenge.

"Okay, here's the plan," said Tristan. "The Rock Tunnel will be dark, so Charmander, we will need light from your tail flame to help us get through."

"Charmander!" replied Charmander happily.

"There will be many Rock Pokémon in there as well," continued Tristan. "So, Squirtle and Bulbasaur, you two will be on standby in case any Rock Pokémon attack us."

Squirtle and Bulbasaur happily nodded.

"But first thing's first," said Hillary. "We should probably stock up on supplies."

"That's a good idea," said Tristan.

Tristan returned his Pokémon except Pikachu to their Pokéballs before he and Hillary set off for the PokéMart to get the supplies.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City M18A)_

The PokéMart was full of items for travelling Trainers, from Pokéballs to medicine to groceries necessary for training Pokémon.

"I've never seen so many items in one store," said Hillary. "Is this the only PokéMart we know?"

"Of course not," replied Tristan. "Don't you remember all those times when Grandma went to Cherrygrove City to get groceries? There are PokéMarts almost anywhere, you know."

"Oh, yeah," said Hillary. She felt like she asked a dumb question.

"Don't worry about it," said Tristan. "We'll get our supplies, and soon, we'll be ready to take on the Rock Tunnel. Wanna help me pick some out?"

"Okay," said Hillary.

Hillary picked out some medicines from Antidotes to Paralyze Heals to Awakenings.

Tristan selected some Super Potions in case any Pokémon got injured.

"Brock suggested that we should get some medicine anyway," said Tristan. "You never know who's going to need it out there."

"I'm surprised we didn't get any medicine sooner," said Hillary.

"Well, it did slip my mind," laughed Tristan nervously. "But anyway, let's check out the supplies and we'll be ready to go."

It didn't take Tristan and Hillary very long to purchase the necessary items, and soon after, they left the PokéMart and Cerulean City behind.

* * *

Route 9 was a little tougher to manage than Tristan and Hillary anticipated because of the rough terrain, but they continued on, anyway.

"Boy, I've never felt so tired in all my life," grunted Hillary.

"Me, neither," added Tristan. "There are so many hills and cliffs."

"Are we ever going to reach the Rock Tunnel?" complained Hillary.

"We won't if we keep talking about it," retorted Tristan.

Just then, Pikachu, exhausted from all the walking, fell to the ground.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" asked Tristan. He was getting concerned.

"Pika," replied Pikachu weakly. It was obviously tired.

"I'm sure it's just exhausted from all that walking on this rough terrain," said Hillary. "I suggest we take a break, and then start again.

Reluctantly, Tristan agreed with the idea.

"Besides," continued Hillary, "didn't we get some food to help us out?"

"As a matter of fact, we did," replied Tristan. "Maybe I should let out my Pokémon so they can chow down, too."

Tristan let out his five Pokémon, which materialized from the five white lights that came out of his Pokéballs. He explained the situation to them, which they understood.

"You just take it easy for a little while, Pikachu," said Tristan, patting Pikachu on the head.

Pikachu crawled into Tristan's lap and enjoyed the attention. Then, they both joined the others for lunch.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

A few hours later, Tristan and Hillary started again, feeling more refreshed and ready for action, despite the still rough terrain. Pikachu was enjoying the view from Tristan's shoulder.

"I'm glad that you suggested that we have lunch, sis," said Tristan. "I'm feeling a lot more cheerful, and Pikachu seems to be happy, too.

"Me too, Tristan," replied Hillary. "I was getting a little tired and hungry myself."

"As soon as we approach the Pokémon Center near the Rock Tunnel, we promised we'd give Grandma a call," said Tristan.

"Well, it looks like we won't begin our Rock Tunnel challenge today, anyway," said Hillary. "The sun will be setting soon."

Sure enough, the sun was sinking lower and lower in the sky.

Tristan took out his map and started to pinpoint their location. "Okay, according to my map, we should be on the edge of Route 10," he said, "provided that we were going east the entire time." He then took out his compass.

Sure enough, the needle pointed to the east. They were headed in the right direction toward the Rock Tunnel.

"I sure wouldn't want to get lost now," said Hillary.

"Don't worry about it," replied Tristan. "With our track record, we should be fine."

They kept moving forward and reached Route 10. They saw a river shortly thereafter.

"If I were a Pokémon Center, where would I be?" asked Tristan, who was looking around. "Officer Jenny said that there was a Pokémon Center somewhere next to the Rock Tunnel, but where is it?"

"Right there!" answered Hillary, who pointed to a nearby building. Sure enough, there was the Pokémon Center, and the Rock Tunnel was right next to it.

"Just in time, too, because the sun is almost down," added Tristan.

"We have been on the road all day, and I could use a nice bed for the night," said Hillary.

"I think we all could," replied Tristan. "Now let's call Grandma. You know how worried she can get sometimes." And he and Hillary went inside the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

"It sounds like you were delayed a little bit," said Veronica on the video phone.

"We all needed a little time to rest up and eat earlier today," replied Tristan. "Pikachu was the one who needed it most of all."

"Well, don't worry about it," said Veronica. "I'm sure you'll get a good night's rest and start for the Rock Tunnel first thing in the morning. By the way, here's a surprise for you both to see."

"Hey, kids!" said another voice on the other end. It was their grandfather, Eric, who appeared right beside Veronica.

"Hi, Grandpa!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu said hello, too.

"Ah, what a cute Pikachu you have, Tristan!" said Eric. "You must be very close already."

"Well, we have been travelling from place to place, training and bonding with one another," replied Tristan, "even though we haven't been on the road together for very long."

"I just spoke with Professor Oak a little while ago, and he tells me that you caught a Bulbasaur, a Charmander, and a Squirtle," said Eric. "Is that right?"

"That's right, Grandpa," answered Tristan.

"I don't know how you do it," said Eric. "But your grandmother and I believe that you may just have what it takes to be a travelling champion."

"I always love the chance to travel and get stronger," said Tristan.

"I would, too," added Hiilary. "Even if I don't have my first Pokémon yet."

Veronica and Eric chuckled.

"We should probably let you go for now so you two can rest up," said Veronica.

"We love you, kids," added Eric.

"We love you, too," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

"Watch out for them, Pikachu," said Veronica and Eric together.

Pikachu responded happily as the video screen turned off.

Presently, Nurse Joy appeared in front of the children. "I'm glad you two decided to spend the night here," she said. "It would be too dangerous to travel in the Rock Tunnel at night, especially when it's pitch black in there."

"We figured that it wouldn't be the right time for us to travel anyway," replied Hillary.

"Let's get some food in your systems and then you'll have an even better night's sleep," advised Nurse Joy.

And so they did, and as soon as they did, they went to sleep, thinking about the challenges that awaited them in the Rock Tunnel.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan and Hillary were up bright and early, and went straight to the Rock Tunnel. They and the Pokémon were well rested. They came to the entrance and stopped.

"Wow," whispered Hillary. "Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy weren't kidding when they said that it was pitch black in there."

"And don't forget those Rock Pokémon," added Tristan. "Which reminds me..." He took out three Pokéballs. "It's time to put three Pokémon on the job. Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, I choose you!" He threw the Pokéballs and the three Pokémon materialized from the three white lights that shot out of them.

Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur were awaiting Tristan's instructions.

"Okay, guys, listen up," he said. "This is the Rock Tunnel. It's pitch black inside, and it's full of Rock Pokémon, so I'm going to need all three of you to help us out."

The three Pokémon nodded.

"Charmander, as we discussed yesterday, we will need your tail flame to help us navigate our way through the Rock Tunnel.," continued Tristan, "and Squirtle and Bulbasaur, you two will help us battle those Rock Pokémon if we get attacked by them."

The three Pokémon nodded again.

"All right then," said Tristan. "Let's go in."

Charmander led the way inside the deep dark Rock Tunnel while Squirtle and Bulbasaur followed the others inside.

Tristan and Hillary walked slowly behind Charmander, although it wasn't easy to avoid stepping on each other's feet.

Some Zubat flew by the children. They were a little surprised by the sudden appearance, but didn't feel threatened.

"How can Zubat see us and not crash into us?" wondered Hillary.

"Do you remember what the Pokédex said back on Mount Moon?" said Tristan. "Zubat uses Supersonic waves as sonar to check for objects in its way, so they don't need their eyes to navigate through the darkness."

"I wish we could do that," said Hillary. Just then, she tripped on a big boulder and fell on her stomach. She moaned and winced in pain.

Tristan quickly ran to her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Does it LOOK like I'm okay, Tristan?!" shouted Hillary.

"Wow!" said Tristan, who was startled by Hillary's tone of voice. "It sounds like you've become a little boulder."

"Don't just stand there making jokes, help me up here!" demanded Hillary.

 _(Music cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Meowth Rules!"))_

Suddenly, at that moment, two rocky arms unfolded from the boulder that Hillary tripped over, and two eyes opened.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock as it started charging at them.

"That must be a Geodude!" exclaimed Tristan. "Run for it!"

He and the others ran away from the Geodude, but nothing they could do could outrun it.

"If you hadn't stepped on that Geodude, none of this would have happened!" accused Tristan.

"But it's not my fault that I couldn't see where I was going, now Tristan, do something!" shouted Hillary.

"What can I do, shoot some water at it or something?" retorted Tristan. Then, he suddenly remembered. He had Squirtle with him. He could have it battle the Geodude and the danger would be past them in no time. "Go, Squirtle, help us out!" he ordered.

Squirtle complied and leaped in front of the children as Geodude moved in closer for the attack.

"Squirtle, Water Gun now!" he ordered.

A powerful stream of water shot out of Squirtle's mouth at Geodude, scoring a super-effective hit in the process.

Geodude was outmatched by Squirtle's Water Gun and fled the scene, admitting its defeat.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good job, Squirtle," praised Tristan.

Squirtle replied happily.

"Well, that was easy," said Hillary. "Either your Squirtle's really strong or that Geodude was really weak."

"Squirtle had the edge in that battle," replied Tristan. "Water attacks are super-effective against Rock Pokémon like Geodude."

Presently, everyone felt a rumbling under their feet.

"What's that?" asked Hillary with a trembled look in her eyes.

 _(Music cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "The Pokémon Water War"))_

She didn't wonder for long as a horde of angry rocks with arms stampeded toward the terrified group.

"It's a horde of Geodude!" gasped Tristan.

"That other Geodude must have gone back to get reinforcements!" added Hillary.

"Hurry, we've gotta get out of here!" shouted Tristan.

He, Hillary, and the Pokémon started making a run for it, but they couldn't escape from the angry Geodude no matter how fast they ran.

"It's no use! They're going to catch us!" shouted Hillary.

"Then we have no choice," said Tristan. "Let's go, Squirtle!"

Squirtle turned its tail from running away and ran to face the angry horde of Geodude.

"We can't face them all like this!" gasped Hillary.

"We have to at least try, Hillary," persisted Tristan. He turned to Squirtle, who was awaiting his orders. "Squirtle, use another Water Gun attack!"

Squirtle shot another powerful stream of water from its mouth at the charging Geodude.

One by one, the Geodude were getting knocked over, even as more of them charged at them.

"Keep it up, Squirtle!" encouraged Tristan.

"You can do it!" added Hillary.

Squirtle kept on squirting the Geodude until none charged anymore. They turned tail and ran in the opposite direction.

"You did it again, Squirtle!" said Tristan.

Squirtle replied happily.

"That was a close one," said Hillary. "They almost got us that time."

"Let's see if we can find a way out of here," suggested Tristan.

"Best idea I've heard all day," replied Hillary as she and Tristan continued on with Charmander leading the way.

* * *

A little while later, as they neared the end of the Rock Tunnel, Tristan and Hillary noticed that it had gotten very quiet.

"Something tells me that we're going to run into something big before we get out of here," whispered Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "This place has gotten too quiet for my taste, and it's giving me the creeps."

Presently, Pikachu's ears pricked up. It was picking up on something.

"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Tristan worriedly. Then he turned to the others. "Stay alert, everyone," he advised.

At that moment, there was a rumble and a roar. Then, an explosion of dust came up as a giant rocky snakelike Pokémon came into view. It didn't look very friendly and roared at Tristan and the others.

 _(Music cue: Rocket-Powered Disaster)_

"It's an Onix!" gasped Hillary. "You were right, Tristan, this _is_ big!"

"Go get it, Squirtle!" ordered Tristan.

Squirtle leaped in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle.

Onix charged for Squirtle with a full-body style attack.

"That's a Tackle attack!" said Hillary anxiously.

"Squirtle, Water Gun attack!" shouted Tristan.

A powerful stream of water shot out of Squirtle's mouth at the Onix. It scored a direct hit, but Onix wouldn't give up without a real fight.

Onix charged at Squirtle with another Tackle attack.

"Quick, Squirtle, move out of the way!" commanded Tristan.

Squirtle quickly got out of Onix's path.

"If Onix can take at least one Water Gun attack, it must be really strong!" remarked Hillary.

"But it isn't like Squirtle's Water Gun attack didn't work!" protested Tristan. "I'm sure it must have done something to Onix!"

At that instant, Onix used the end of its tail and wrapped it around Squirtle. It was a very tight grip.

"Squirtle!" gasped Tristan.

"That Onix just used Bind attack!" added Hillary.

"Squirtle, try another Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Squirtle tried, but it couldn't utter a drop of water from its mouth because Onix's grip was too tight.

"Squirtle can't move!" gasped Hillary.

"Protect yourself, Squirtle! Withdraw now!" ordered Tristan.

Squirtle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell as it glowed in a blue color. It was temporarily out of danger, but was still wrapped tightly by Onix's Bind attack.

"Okay, Bulbasaur, go help Squirtle!" instructed Tristan.

Bulbasaur happily nodded and prepared for battle.

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip attack!" yelled Tristan.

Two green vines shot out from Bulbasaur's bulb at Onix and hit it squarely in the face.

"Yes, it's working!" said Tristan excitedly.

Bulbasaur continued to use its Vine Whip on Onix.

Again and again, it was struck in the face, taking on more and more damage. But without warning, Onix charged at Bulbasaur with a Tackle attack that seemed to throw it for a loop.

"Bulbasaur!" cried Tristan.

Bulbasaur collapsed on the ground from the hard hit.

Pikachu had seen enough and wanted to help. It began to charge forward at Onix with electricity sparking from its cheeks.

"No, Pikachu, stay back!" yelled Tristan.

Pikachu stopped in its tracks and questioned why it couldn't battle Onix.

"Electric attacks won't work on Onix, and if you use one, it'll hit Squirtle," explained Tristan. "Bulbasaur and Squirtle can handle it, and Butterfree can help out if there's more trouble."

Pikachu came back to Tristan's side.

Bulbasaur struggled back to its feet after the surprise Tackle attack it had just endured from Onix. It suddenly felt more determined and let out a loud cry to charge into battle again.

 _(Music Cue: Route 11: The Road to Lavender Town (as heard in "Tracey Gets Bugged"))_

"That's the spirit, Bulbasaur! Way to go!" said Tristan.

Bulbasaur glared at Onix, ready to take it down.

"Okay, Bulbasaur, can you do a Razor Leaf attack?" asked Tristan.

Bulbasaur nodded its response.

"All right, go!" shouted Tristan.

Bulbasaur shot a barrage of razor sharp leaves at Onix, scoring a direct hit on its face. One stray sharp leaf hit Onix's tail, causing it to release Squirtle from its grip.

Squirtle's limbs came out of its shell and it ran back to its relieved Trainer.

"Are you okay, Squirtle?" he asked.

Squirtle nodded happily.

"All right, guys, let's defeat that Onix once and for all," said Tristan. "Use your Water Gun and Razor Leaf attacks together!"

Squirtle shot its most powerful stream of water from its mouth while Bulbasaur shot another flurry of razor sharp leaves at Onix.

The combined attacks were too much for Onix to take, and it collapsed to the ground with a crash.

Everyone cheered and jumped for joy. But a moment later, Onix struggled back up, much to everyone's surprise.

"Is it going to attack again?" cringed Hillary.

But instead of attacking, Onix acknowledged the strength of Bulbasaur and Squirtle and just stood there. It realized the combined might of their teamwork.

"Hey, Onix," said Tristan. "We're sorry we disturbed you and the other Rock Pokémon in this tunnel. It was the only other route we could take to get to Lavender Town."

Onix growled and nodded its head, understanding what Tristan had just said. Then it turned around and slithered away.

"That Onix seemed to be a friendly Pokémon after all," said Hillary.

"I'm just glad that it knew our intentions," replied Tristan. Then he looked ahead and saw a light at the end of the tunnel. "There's the exit, guys! Let's go!"

Everyone made a quick dash right toward it, and in just a few seconds, they were back in the sunshine overlooking Lavender Town from a hill.

 _(Music cue: Route 3-The Road to Cerulean City)_

"There it is, guys!" said Hillary excitedly.

"We finally made it to Lavender Town," said Tristan. He turned to Charmander. "Thank you for leading the way in the Rock Tunnel, Charmander,"

Charmander happily replied.

Then, Tristan turned to Bulbasaur and Squirtle and patted them on the head. "You two worked very well together," he added. "If it weren't for you two, we'd still be stuck in the Rock Tunnel with those Rock Pokémon, including that Onix. Thank you both very much."

Squirtle and Bulbasaur happily nodded their replies to Tristan, then suddenly, they were both bathed in bright white lights.

"Whoa, what's going on?" asked Hillary.

"Are they both starting to evolve?" added Tristan.

Bulbasaur grew a little bigger, and its green bulb bloomed into a large pink bud.

Squirtle also grew bigger with big ears and claws grew on its fingers and toes. Its tail grew longer, too. It seemed to have two tails connected together.

"Now what are they?" asked Tristan as he scanned his newly evolved Pokémon with his Pokédex.

" _Wartortle: The Turtle Pokémon: The evolved form of Squirtle,"_ it said. " _Its long furry tail is a symbol of its age and wisdom._

 _"Ivysaur: The Seed Pokémon: The evolved form of Bulbasaur. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and blooms into a large flower."_

"Wow! A double evolution!" said Hillary. "I've never seen that before!"

"Neither have I," agreed Tristan. "But congratulations, Ivysaur and Wartortle."

Ivysaur and Wartortle rushed to Tristan and gave him a big hug.

Unfortunately for poor Tristan, the combined weight pushed him to the ground, but they all laughed together.

Hillary giggled at the scenario. "Maybe the Pokémon want to share this memory with you, Tristan," she said.

 _And so, Tristan and Hillary made it through the deep and dark Rock Tunnel. And thanks to the evolution of Ivysaur and Wartortle, they now feel even more certain that they would reach their goal as they make their way to the next Gym and their next adventure._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	17. Chapter 17: THE CRIMINAL BIKE GANG

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 17 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their way through Kanto. This chapter is a little shorter than some of the others are, but as always, please feel free to read, review, and provide feedback...Once again, I've inserted a few music cues so you can use your imaginations, too.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary's options for travel are limited to one path they can take...the underground tunnel between Routes 8 and 7 on their way to Celadon City. But a criminal cowardly bike gang is playing tricks on Officer Jenny and the kids! Will Tristan and Hillary be able to get them out and make their way to Celadon City?**

 **CHAPTER 17: THE CRIMINAL BIKE GANG**

 _(Music cue: Opening 1 Opening and Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After making it safely through the Rock Tunnel, Tristan and Hillary have made it to Lavender Town and its Pokémon Center, in the hopes of finding the next Gym, but unfortunately..._

"There's no Gym here?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"I'm very sorry, kids," said Nurse Joy sadly. "But Lavender Town is too small and spooky to have its own Pokémon Gym."

"What do you mean by 'spooky?'" asked Hillary suspiciously.

"There's a place called Pokémon Tower where spooky Ghost Pokémon live," said Nurse Joy in a spooky voice.

"Can we change the subject please?" cringed Hillary.

"Can we talk about my next Gym Battle please?!" shouted Tristan.

"Oops!" gasped Nurse Joy. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Anyway, the next Gym you'll want to aim for is the one in Celadon City."

"Celadon City, huh?" said Tristan. "Then that's where we'll go. "We'll check out the Pokémon Tower a little later."

"But I suggest you be careful when you take the underground tunnel going from Route 8 to Route 7," advised Nurse Joy. "Many Trainers fear this underground tunnel because there's a bike gang down there, and they're always up to no good."

"What's a bike gang?" asked Hillary.

"A bike gang is a group of Pokémon Trainers who ride their bicycles in the Underground Tunnel and challenge terrified Trainers to battles under extreme pressure," answered Nurse Joy. "This gang is the self-proclaimed Kanto Pokémon Federation."

"The Kanto Pokémon Federation?" repeated Hillary.

"That's what she said, sis," said Tristan. "This biker gang may be a tough challenge, but we have no other choice. All entrances to Saffron City are still closed."

"Must you always bring that up?!" exclaimed Hillary, who was losing her patience.

"I was just stating a fact, Hillary!" protested Tristan.

Nurse Joy chuckled. "I assume the fighting means that you're brother and sister?" she asked.

Tristan and Hillary's faces turned red and glum. "Yes," they both said.

"Thought so," said Nurse Joy. "Sibling rivalries always happen. It's a fact of life, and it brings them closer than ever. Anyway, if the Underground Path is the only one that's accessible, then I highly suggest you be extremely careful down there."

"Okay, Nurse Joy," said Tristan.

Just then, they all heard a voice.

"There they go again!"

It was Officer Jenny, and she was on her motorcycle, running after something with a police siren sounding off.

"Do you think it's the Kanto Pokémon Federation?" asked Tristan.

"There's only one way to find out," replied Hillary. "Let's follow her."

"We've gotta go, Nurse Joy, but thanks for letting us rest up here!" called Tristan.

"You kids be careful in the underground tunnel!" Nurse Joy called back.

And so the kids and Pikachu followed Officer Jenny to Route 8 as fast as their legs could carry them. They wanted to see what was really going on.

* * *

Meanwhile, three bikers had disappeared into the underground. Officer Jenny was too late to stop them by bike. "You three come out of there now!" she demanded.

"You're gonna have to catch us, lady!" answered the first biker.

"Yeah, the underground belongs to us!" put in the second biker.

"If you want us, come and get us!" finished the third biker.

"Don't you dare test me!" fumed Officer Jenny. "I'm not going to tell you again, now come out of there this instant!"

Just then, she heard cackling from another biker from behind her. He had a shiny bald head.

"Well, you may have found my friends, but I'll be the one to protect them from you!" he said as he threw a spherical object at Officer Jenny's feet. The object exploded and displayed a big gray cloud of smoke.

"Get back here!" coughed Officer Jenny as she desperately tried to catch her breath.

The smoke didn't go unnoticed by Tristan and Hillary, who were just arriving on the scene.

"Look, Tristan, there's a big cloud of smoke!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Quick, Pidgeotto, use your Gust attack to blow it away!" ordered Tristan as he threw Pidgeotto's Pokéball.

Instantly upon emerging from the white light, Pidgeotto quickly flapped its wings to clear the smoke away. Sure enough, the smoke disappeared and Officer Jenny came into view.

Tristan and Hillary immediately rushed to her aid.

"We saw what happened, Officer Jenny, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, I am, thank you," she replied as she caught her breath. "But I was too late to stop the biker gang from going into the underground."

"Was it the Kanto Pokémon Federation by any chance?" asked Hillary innocently.

"Yes it was," answered Officer Jenny, "and today, they're causing more trouble than usual."

"That does seem like a really big problem," said Tristan.

"I know that there are witnesses on this part of the road, but they don't want to come forward," said Officer Jenny sadly. "Either they're afraid of the bikers or they're just too afraid to talk to the police department."

"Well, what can we do to try and help, Officer Jenny?" asked Hillary.

"The three bikers have disappeared into the building over there," replied Officer Jenny. "I'm going to need you to get them out of there as fast as you can."

"Don't worry, Officer Jenny, because we're on the job," said Tristan.

Pikachu enthusiastically agreed with him.

"I'm ready, too, Tristan, so let's go!" added Hillary.

"Be careful in there, guys!" called Officer Jenny as Tristan and Hillary dashed inside the building and into the underground tunnel. She then immediately radioed for backup from Celadon City's police department.

* * *

The underground tunnel between Routes 8 and 7 was a little different from the one going between Routes 5 and 6. This one looked like it was in pretty rough shape thanks to all the activities the bikers did in there. The floor was falling apart, and the walls were crumbling.

"We have to be very careful down here," advised Tristan. "Who knows what those bikers have done with the place, and who knows where they are?"

"This does give me the creeps," replied Hillary.

"This is no time to be scared because we have a job to do," said Tristan. "We have to find these creeps before we find more trouble."

"More trouble has found you!" shouted a voice from behind them.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

Tristan and Hillary turned around just in time to see the voice belonged to the bald-headed biker, the leader of the Kanto Pokémon Federation.

"What do _you_ want?" demanded Tristan and Hillary together.

"We challenge you to a battle, and you will accept or else!" he answered.

"What do you mean by 'we?'" said Hillary suspiciously.

"I mean by _all_ of we," said the bald-headed biker. "Come on in, boys!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, three other bikers arrived on the scene. They cackled and surrounded the children.

"My name is Dwayne!" said the first biker.

"My name is Harris," said the second biker.

"And my name is Zeke," said the third biker.

"And I'm the leader of the Kanto Pokémon Federation: Paxton," said the bald-headed biker. "And if you want us out, you'll have to force us out...by battling us!"

"You're insane!" exclaimed Tristan.

"So, are you chicken?" taunted Zeke.

Then the bikers laughed, infuriating Tristan and Hillary.

 _(Music cue: Raid!)_

At last, Tristan lost patience. "All right, you're on!" he yelled. He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of its Pokéball.

Paxton gave a wicked smile. "Now we've got 'em boys," he said. "Get 'em, Dwayne!"

"All Koffing, go!" he shouted as he threw four Pokéballs.

The four Pokémon that materialized from the white lights looked like purple spherical objects with holes all over with a skull and crossbones on their fronts.

"Four Koffing?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Four against one is totally unfair!" added Hillary.

"I never said that we played fair," replied Paxton. "Now, what are you going to do?"

"Wartortle, Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

A powerful stream of water shot out of Wartortle's mouth towards the Koffing. It was a much more powerful stream than when it was just a Squirtle.

One of the Koffing got hit, but it didn't stop the other Koffing. Eventually, the first Koffing came back into the battle.

"Go, Koffing, Smokescreen now!" commanded Dwayne.

All four Koffing shot a green cloud of smoke from the holes toward the kids and the Pokémon, causing them to cover their eyes. They coughed and tried to catch their breath.

"Do something, Tristan!" hacked Hillary.

"Pidgeotto, blow the Smokescreen away...Gust attack!" commanded Tristan as he covered his mouth and threw Pidgeotto's Pokéball.

Pidgeotto wasted no time after it emerged from the Pokéball as it furiously flapped its wings, causing the smoke to dissipate. However, the bikers had also disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" asked Tristan, who was frantically looking around.

"Those three are complete cowards, running away like that," fumed Hillary. "First they challenge us to a battle, and then they trick us into chasing them!"

Then Tristan and Hillary heard the bikers laughing.

 _(Music cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Meowth Rules"))_

"This way!" shouted Hillary as she ran toward the sound of the laughter.

"Okay, come on, guys!" replied Tristan as he motioned the Pokémon to follow them.

"You won't get away with this, you bikers!" yelled Hillary.

The three bikers laughed as they ran away on their bicycles. The four Koffing who smoked the kids out were following them.

"Those kids are sure persistent today," said Harris.

"Much more persistent than what we're used to," added Zeke.

"Come on, Zeke," said Dwayne. "If we work together, we can smoke them out, and we'll lose them! Send out your two Koffing!"

"Okay, Dwayne!" replied Zeke. "Go, Koffing!" He threw two Pokéballs.

Two more Koffing emerged from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Oh, great, more Koffing!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Koffing, Smog attack!" commanded Dwayne and Zeke together.

All six Koffing fired green smoke from their mouths at the kids, who had trouble catching their breath.

When the smoke cleared, the three bikers were gone again, much to Tristan and Hillary's frustration.

"If nothing else, those guys sure are good at running," said Hillary.

"We'll get them out somehow," said Tristan. "We promised Officer Jenny that we'd do it and we will!"

"Then let's go after them," said Hillary.

They and the Pokémon kept running after the bikers, little realizing that they were making progress getting to the other side.

"Those bikers must be around here somewhere," said Tristan.

"They couldn't have just disappeared," agreed Hillary.

Meanwhile, a short distance away, the bikers and the six Koffing were having a fun time outrunning the kids.

"This is just like taking candy from a baby!" laughed Zeke.

"Those kids have no brains of their own," added Dwayne.

"Let's not get overconfident," advised Paxton. "They could still catch us,"

"We've got wheels, they've got only legs!" laughed Harris. "They wouldn't stand a chance of catching us, even if we were to go slower than we normally would, not that we ever would."

"There they are! Let's get'em!" Tristan's voice echoed through the underground.

 _(Music cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

The bikers turned around and were shocked to see Tristan and Hillary right on their wheels.

"They've found us, so let's get outta here!" gasped Zeke as he and the bikers pedaled faster to try and lose them.

"Come back here right now!" demanded Hillary as they got closer.

"They must have found a second wind!" said Harris nervously.

"Then let's find ours!" put in Dwayne.

"Just pedal as fast as you can and use the Koffing again if you have to," said Paxton.

"Koffing, Smokescreen now!" ordered Zeke and Dwayne together.

Again, the six Koffing shot out green smoke from their mouths, but Tristan wouldn't have any of it.

"Quick, Pidgeotto, use your Gust attack!" shouted Tristan.

Once again, Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings and the smoke dissipated, but the Koffing seemed to be putting up more of a fight than usual.

"Come on, Koffing, don't you dare lose!" demanded Zeke and Dwayne.

"Don't give up, Pidgeotto, you can do it!" encouraged Tristan.

The six Koffing continued to shoot out a huge green cloud of smoke while Pidgeotto did its best to keep it at bay.

Suddenly, Harris had a sneaky idea. "If I can add to this cloud of smoke, I'll make sure the kids' party ends with a bang! Heh heh heh heh!" He then took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Flareon, Flamethrower!"

A quadruped Pokémon with reddish orange fur materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked similar to Eevee, but it had fluffy yellow fur on its tail, its chest, and the tuft on its head. It immediately launched a stream of orange fire to add to the green smoke. The color of the smoke started turning into the same color and burst into flames, and suddenly, without warning, caused an explosion, knocking everyone off their feet and wheels. As another unfortunate result of the Smokescreen being combined with the Flamethrower, the underground burst into flames.

"IDIOT!" screamed Paxton. "Do you have ANY idea what you've just done?!"

"Well, I seemed to have caused a ruckus," laughed Harris nervously.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

The explosion didn't go unnoticed by Officer Jenny at the entrance on Route 8. She had finally lost her patience, but not with the kids. "That does it!" she said. As soon as everyone is out of there, I'm closing this underground entrance for good!" She then took out her radio. "Dispatch, we have a possible explosion in the underground between Routes 8 and 7. Send for any available firefighting team to investigate!" And she went into the underground tunnel to try and help out.

Back in the underground, the fire was starting to rage out of control.

"What do we do, Tristan?" said Hillary worriedly.

"There's only one thing to do, and that's put out the fire!" answered Tristan. He turned to Wartortle, who was standing by. "Wartortle, use your Water Gun attack on that fire!"

Wartortle instantly shot a stream of water from its mouth at the fire. However, the fire showed no signs of going out.

"Keep going, Wartortle, we've got to put the fire out!" encouraged Tristan.

Wartortle kept squirting with all its might.

Just then, Officer Jenny arrived on the scene. "Are you two okay?" she called to Tristan and Hillary.

"We're okay, but the fire isn't going out!" replied Hillary. "We're doing the best we can."

"You guys are doing a great job," said Officer Jenny. "But what caused this problem in the first place."

"Those bikers kept tricking us into battling so they could run away with Koffing's Smokescreen attack. We tried blowing it away, but when the Smokescreen combined with Flareon's Flamethrower, that's when this fire ignited!"

The bikers cringed in fear of both the fire and Officer Jenny.

"Uh-oh," said Zeke.

"Busted!" added Dwayne.

Officer Jenny turned to the four bikers. "You're all in so much trouble!" she declared. Then she turned to Tristan and Hillary. "I've called for backup to help fight the fire, guys," she said.

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan. "As powerful as Wartortle is, even it has its limits."

"Wait up!" called Paxton. "Maybe my Muk can help." He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Go, Muk!"

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Mystery Menace"))_

A Pokémon of living purple sludge materialized from the white light that shot out of the Pokéball. It had beady black pupils, plus arms with three fingers on each hand. It was a bigger version of Grimer.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Not only that, what's that stinky smell?" added Hillary as she covered her nose.

 _"Muk: The Sludge Pokémon: The evolved form of Grimer,_ " it said. _"Its slimy form contains poison."_

"Go, Muk, smother the fire!" ordered Paxton.

Muk surrounded the fire with its entire body. The fire was put out on the spot.

Everyone was very surprised, including Officer Jenny.

"Whoa," said Tristan.

"That was unbelievable!" added Hillary.

Officer Jenny took out her radio again. "Dispatch, the fire is out, so cancel the last response," she said.

The bikers were ashamed of what they did, including Paxton.

Paxton felt badly most of all. "As the leader of the Kanto Pokémon Federation, I apologize to all of you for causing this mess in the first place," he said. "Whatever punishment you give us, that's okay with me."

"We don't want punishments, we want retributions!" demanded Zeke, Harris, and Dwayne together. It was obvious that they hadn't redeemed themselves after the fire was put out, even after Paxton worked hard to put it out in the first place.

Officer Jenny thought about it for a minute. Then she said, "Well, I won't arrest you since you helped put the fire out; however, I will be closing this place down for the foreseeable future."

"No fair!" shouted the three bikers.

"Go ahead and shut it down," said Paxton. "I will be leaving this underground anyway to work on my behavior, and I have you and the kids to thank."

Officer Jenny motioned the bikers to come with her to the entrance on Route 8 while she instructed Tristan and Hillary to keep following the path to the other side on Route 7. "Once you do that follow the grassy route to Celadon City."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," said Tristan.

"You've been a big help," added Hillary.

"I'm the one who should thank you," replied Officer Jenny. "It's because of you, we were able to get these bikers out of the underground in the first place."

"Aw, don't mention it," said Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with him.

"Let's go," said Tristan. "Celadon City awaits our arrival."

The kids and Pikachu said goodbye to Officer Jenny as they went to the other side of the underground tunnel.

* * *

 _(Music cue: Meeting and Parting)_

When Tristan and Hillary emerged from the building on Route 7 some time later, Celadon City's Officer Jenny was waiting for them.

"I've heard all about your adventures in the underground tunnel, and I'm very happy that you helped my sister out today," she said. "Thank you very much."

"We were just glad we could help out, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.]

"Yeah, because where would we be if we didn't?" added Hillary.

"We heard there was a Gym somewhere in Celadon City," said Tristan. "Is that true?"

"You heard right, Tristan," answered Officer Jenny. "I'll take you to the Pokémon Center so you can rest up."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," replied the kids.

"Pikachu!" said Pikachu happily.

 _Thanks to Tristan and Hillary's help, Officer Jenny was able to drive a gang of bikers out of the underground tunnel, and now with a proud escort, they will arrive in Celadon City with the hope of winning a brand new badge._

* * *

 _(Music cue: The Moon Stone)_

 _Meanwhile, in a secret hideout in Celadon City, someone very evil is plotting his next big move...and that someone will soon put all of Celadon City on high alert._

"Ah, excellent!" said a man in an orange suit. It was Giovanni, who was watching Tristan and Hillary closely on a TV screen. "It will soon be time to make our presence known to the kids." He paused for a second. "They aren't as fearful of the danger as I thought they'd be. Hmmm...This will make things interesting, especially when I have this Silph Scope here." He paused again, then he said at last, "This is perfect. Everyone in Celedon City is in a perfect disguise, fooling everyone. Little do the residents know that my henchmen are standing by, ready to attack at any moment. So first the Rocket Game Corner, and then, all of Celadon City! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	18. Chapter 18:BATTLE IN THE HIDEOUT, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, but here is Chapter 18 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they make their way across Kanto. Several members of Team Rocket make an appearance in this chapter, including Jessie, James, and Meowth. Plus, you won't want to miss Giovanni in action, too. As you know, I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other characters are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please read, review, and provide feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have finally made it to Celadon City, but Trouble with a capital T is brewing! And that T is for Team Rocket!**

 **Chapter 18: BATTLE IN THE HIDEOUT, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket Boss Theme)_

The moon peaked high above Celadon City one calm night. A group of men were awaiting instructions just outside the city limits, out of sight of every resident in the city. They were wearing black uniforms with a red letter R on them. Presently, a man in an orange suit appeared in front of the men as they all stood in attention. It was Giovanni himself.

"All right, listen up," he said. "As you know, we've been calling the shots at the Rocket Game Corner, and the residents don't suspect that there is a hideout underneath. However, I will need someone to guard the entrance to our hideout. I will be expecting company, and it won't be friendly company."

"Yes, sir!" said the men.

"Any volunteers?" asked Giovanni.

"I volunteer my services to squash any Trainer that tries to enter the hideout!" replied one man.

"Excellent," said Giovanni. "All right men, let's move out!"

"Yes, sir!" said the men as they dashed for the Rocket Game Corner.

Meanwhile a short distance away, four Pokémon fell from the sky and crashed into the ground. They consisted of a purple cobra Pokémon, a purple two-faced Pokémon with holes, a pink Pokémon with a long tongue, and a bell-shaped Pokémon with a gaping mouth and two sharp teeth. They were an Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel.

Soon after, three figures fell from the sky and crashed to the ground. They weren't seriously hurt, though. The three figures turned out to be a woman with big red hair, a man with periwinkle hair, and a Pokémon with whiskers and a gold charm on its forehead. They were Jessie, James, and Meowth.

 _(Music Cue: Not Another Argument)_

"Not only did the twerps defeat us and ruin our plan, but that Totodile's Water Gun got us all wet," moaned James.

"Now I'll never get my hair back to the way it was before that Pokémon messed it up," complained Jessie.

"Dis wouldn't have happened if you let me make dat phone call to da Boss to let him know we got a new Pokémon in da foist place," accused Meowth.

"Don't blame me, Meowth!" countered Jessie. "You were the one who started this whole argument!"

"Can't you two just get along for once?!" demanded James.

"All right, you fools," said a voice as Giovanni himself came forward.

"Aaah! It's the Boss!" screamed the agents.

"What did you lose THIS time? Let me guess, you lost a rare Pokémon AGAIN!"

"Uh, we seem to have lost a Totodile," said Meowth nervously.

"You three buffoons had the chance to bring me a new rare Pokémon and you LOST IT?!" fumed Giovanni. "You are a complete disgrace to this team!"

The three agents cringed in fear at Giovanni's reprimands.

"However, I won't fire you because I have a new job for you," continued Giovanni. "You come with me to the Hideout. I'm expecting two kids and a Pikachu to come sometime tomorrow."

"What does he mean?" asked Jessie.

"I don't know," replied James.

"He means dee utter two kids who beat us on Mount Moon some time ago!" answered Meowth.

"I'm glad you remembered, now let's go," said Giovanni as he led the three agents to the hideout inside Rocket Game Corner.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Center M77B)_

 _Our friends have finally made it to Celadon City. It's here that Tristan hopes to earn his fourth Badge. But for right now, they're enjoying the nice fragrance of the sweet scents. Even the smell of perfume comes into the Pokémon Center._

"It's amazing that this city smells so good," remarked Hillary.

"I like the scents, too," replied Tristan. "Grandma wears a perfume that I really like, but this perfume isn't bad either."

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Speaking of Grandma, we should probably give her a call," suggested Hillary.

"Good idea," said Tristan as he and Hillary made their way to the video phone to call their grandmother, Veronica.

The screen turned on and Veronica's face appeared. "Well, hello, kids," said Veronica.

"Hi, Grandma," replied Tristan. "We've made it to Celadon City!"

"Oh, is that right?" said Veronica. "That happens to be one of my favorite cities. I remember visiting it many times in the past."

"Was it because of the scents?" asked Hillary.

"Yes, it is," answered Veronica. "I just love the sweet scents that Celadon City has to offer. I always get the deliveries straight from them, especially whenever I run low."

"Wow!" said Tristan. "No wonder Celadon City is famous for its scents."

"By the way, Grandma, how are things with you?" asked Hillary.

"Well, it's been interesting to say the very least," answered Veronica.

"Why do you say that, Grandma?" asked Tristan.

"Well, let's see...it all started earlier this afternoon...

* * *

"I was helping your grandfather do some gardening outside the house when suddenly, we heard an explosion."

(BOOM!)

"We couldn't tell what the explosion was about, but just before it occurred, we saw four different Pokémon blasting off into the sky someplace to the east. I couldn't believe that they flew right over our house! They looked like an Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel. Then a few seconds later, we were surprised to see a big stream of water going toward the sky. After that, we saw three other figures doing a little bickering, and I heard them yelling something..."

"Team Rocket's messed things up again!"

"They flew in the same direction the Pokémon were going."

* * *

"You've seen them before, Grandma?" asked a surprised Hillary.

"Well, I've never actually seen them face to face," replied Veronica, "but it's like I said, they were sent flying by a huge stream of water."

"Two of the Pokémon sound familiar to us," said Tristan.

 _Arbok and Weezing_... thought Hillary. Then she turned to Tristan and whispered, "You don't suppose that was Team Rocket, do you, Tristan?"

"It's sure possible," answered Tristan. "Anyway, Grandma, at least they didn't bother you."

"I'm just as glad that they were sent flying because Officer Jenny came by earlier this evening and told me about three other Trainers who fearlessly faced them in battle and retrieved a lost Totodile," said Veronica.

"What''s a Totodile?" asked Tristan.

"Your Pokédex probably doesn't have that information yet," answered Veronica.

"I sure hope we meet these trainers someday," said Hillary.

"I'm sure you will if your paths ever cross," replied Veronica. "Well, it was nice talking with you kids. I love you."

"We love you, too, Grandma," said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu replied happily as the video screen turned off.

"We'd better get some sleep, sis," said Tristan.

"You're right," agreed Hillary.

Suddenly, the children heard an urgent cry.

"HELP!"

It was a young boy, a Celadon City resident approximately eight years of age, and he entered the Pokémon Center in a panic.

Nurse Joy was alerted to the cry and came to the front desk in an instant. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Men in black have taken over the entire town, and now my little Pidgey is hurt thanks to them!" he panted.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Nurse Joy. She turned to a nearby Chansey, who was standing by. "Okay, Chansey, we've gotta act fast. Rush it to emergency care!"

"Chansey!" it replied happily as it wheeled a stretcher with Pidgey on it into the emergency care room.

Tristan and Hillary rushed over to the front desk.

"What's going on, Nurse Joy?" asked Hillary.

"A Trainer tells me that a group of men in black uniforms has now taken over all of Celadon City," answered Nurse Joy.

"What did they look like?" asked Tristan.

"This is just terrible!" cried a voice as a familiar woman in police attire came into the Pokémon Center.

"Officer Jenny!" said Tristan and Hillary together. They were happy to see her, especially after she escorted them to Celadon City earlier in the day following their experience in the underground tunnel.

"They just came out of nowhere and took over," continued Officer Jenny. "They all had red letter Rs on their fronts."

Tristan and Hillary were most shocked at that revelation. "I knew it! That's Team Rocket!"

"You've heard of them?" asked Officer Jenny.

"We've battled many of these crooks before, and they don't know the first thing about being friends with Pokémon!" said Hillary.

"They steal them and use them only for their evil purposes!" added Tristan.

"That's an interesting way of talking about it," said Officer Jenny.

"You two aren't thinking about battling with those thieves, do you?" asked Nurse Joy nervously.

"We have no choice but to drive them out of here, especially since they beat that Trainer and his Pidgey," said Tristan.

"Tristan's right," added Hillary. "We have to show them that it's wrong to use Pokémon to achieve their own selfish goals."

Pikachu agreed with them.

Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny completely understood what Tristan and Hillary were saying.

"If that's what you want to do, it'd be wrong to stand in your way," said Nurse Joy.

"I strongly suggest you be careful, however," cautioned Officer Jenny. "Who knows how strong they really are? Their stronghold is at the Rocket Game Corner."

"Got it," said Tristan. "Come on, Pikachu!"

Pikachu followed them out of the Pokémon Center, but just then, several Rocket Grunts stopped them.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

"Isn't it past your bedtimes, kids?" asked one Rocket Grunt.

"No, but it will be too late for you!" answered Hillary.

"Why, you little!" shouted another. "Get them!"

They started charging toward the two children, much to Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy's horror.

"Oh, no, watch out!" shouted Officer Jenny.

"Okay, Pikachu, Thundershock 'em!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a stream of electricity shot out of Pikachu's cheeks and body toward the Rocket Grunts.

They screamed as they got hit by Pikachu's attack. They fell down to the ground and collapsed.

"Good job, guys," said Nurse Joy. "Go ahead and stop Team Rocket!"

"Let's go, guys!" said Tristan as he motioned Hillary and Pikachu to follow him to the Rocket Game Corner.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Sneaking from the Shadows)_

It wasn't long before they reached the center of the city. Normally, it bustled with residents, but instead, it crawled with men in black uniforms.

"Boy, those creeps really make me mad!" exclaimed Tristan.

"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary.

As they walked through Celadon City, they saw many buildings, including a hotel, but they were all full of men in black uniforms.

"That Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

Just then, Hillary pointed to the Rocket Game Corner in the distance. "There it is!" she said. "Let's go in!"

They went inside, completely unaware of the nasty surprises awaiting them. They saw people playing on the slot machines. Eventually, they saw a strange poster with a man standing in front of it.

"There's someone over by the poster," said Hillary. "Let's ask him if he knows anything about what's going on with Team Rocket."

"Good idea," replied Tristan as he and Hillary quickly made their way to the man.

"Excuse us," said Hillary politely, "but could you please move away from the poster and tell us what Team Rocket is doing here?"

The man suddenly turned grouchy and mean. "I'm guarding this poster!" he fumed. "Get out!"

Tristan and Hillary jumped back at the sudden change in the man's attitude.

"Hey, we just wanted to ask you a question about Team Rocket!" persisted Hillary.

"I don't know nobody or nothing about Team Watchamacallit, now go away or else!" he shouted as he pushed Hillary into Tristan, causing them both to fall to the ground.

Neither was hurt, but Tristan was very angry. "How dare you... _How dare you_!" exclaimed Tristan, clenching his fists. "Nobody pushes my sister and gets away with it!" He turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, give him a Quick Attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

Pikachu charged toward the man with a white line trailing behind it. It rammed into the man in quick succession, causing him to crash into the wall. As he did, his clothes fell off, revealing a black uniform with a red letter R on it.

"Ugh! Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

"I figured you were hiding something!" added Hillary.

"I'll crush you both so I can please the Boss!" said the Rocket Grunt as he threw two Pokéballs. "Zubat and Raticate, go!"

The two Pokémon materialized from the white lights that shot out of the Pokéballs.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack now!" shouted Tristan as he threw Pidgeotto's Pokéball.

Instantly upon materializing from the white light that shot out of it, Pidgeotto rammed into Zubat and Raticate with a white line trailing behind it.

They never stood a chance, much to the Rocket Grunt's dismay.

"Now use Gust attack!" commanded Tristan.

Without hesitation, Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind from them. Zubat and Raticate were sent flying into the Rocket Grunt, who crashed into the poster. Just as he crashed, a tile on the floor slid open, revealing a flight of stairs.

Tristan and Hillary couldn't believe their eyes.

"It looks like you and something else have been exposed," smiled Hillary.

"You think you're funny, huh?" shouted the Rocket Grunt. "Guess what? I don't!" He took out his two Pokéballs. "Zubat and Raticate, return!"

The two Pokémon transformed into red energy and disappeared inside them.

Then, the Rocket Grunt started to panic. "The hideout may be discovered! I'd better tell the Boss!" And he ran down the stairs and disappeared.

"Hey, come back here!" demanded Tristan as he and his friends ran down the stairs after him, never suspecting of the danger that awaited them.

* * *

Meanwhile in another part of the hideout, Giovanni was waiting patiently for a report with several Rocket Grunts standing by.

"Soon, we will have the entire city at our feet," he smiled evilly.

"Master Giovanni, Master Giovanni!" shouted a voice.

Giovanni turned around and saw a Rocket Grunt rushing toward him. It was the same one who was just defeated by Tristan.

"What are you doing down here?" asked Giovanni impatiently. "I thought I told you to guard the poster, now get back up there!"

"It's too late for that, Boss!" he panted wearily. "The kids defeated me and discovered our hideout!"

"What?!" exclaimed Giovanni. "Let me see..." He turned his attention to one of the security monitors and sure enough, there were Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Pidgeotto just entering the hideout.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Tristan nervously on the camera. "I think we're being watched by Team Rocket."

"Nonsense, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Why would they want to watch us?"

"You are pathetic," grumbled Giovanni to the Grunt. "Those meddling kids have seen too much already." Then, he smiled. "However, I would like to see how he does in battle against us, especially if there's a rare Pikachu in his possession." He turned on the PA system which was broadcast all over the hideout. "Attention, all Team Rocket members: Be on the lookout for two kids in our hideout. Repeat: Be on the lookout for two kids in our hideout. Find them before they find you, and kick them out immediately."

Tristan and Hillary gasped in surprise at the announcement they just heard over the intercom.

"You were right, Tristan," said Hillary, finally realizing the danger. "Now we're in for it."

"But that voice...Where have I heard that voice?" wondered Tristan suspiciously. He had heard that voice once before when a disguised Giovanni and a mysterious Pokémon came to his former home in Pallet Town to forget the terrible incident he had experienced, but thanks to the Pokémon's powers, he hadn't a clue who he was. All he remembered was his voice.

"We've got to find a place to hide before these crooked men find us!" advised Hillaey.

"You're right, Hillary, so let's go!" replied Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

But it was too late for just then, two Rocket Grunts stopped right in front of them.

"Who are you and how did you two get in?!" demanded the first Grunt.

"You broke into our operation?!" fumed the second Grunt.

"What do you want?" asked Hillary.

"And who is your boss, anyway?" added Tristan.

But they didn't answer, for they each took out two Pokéballs and threw them.

"Go, Raticate!" shouted the first Grunt.

"Go, Drowzee! Go Machop!" yelled the second Grunt.

The first Grunt's two Raticate materialized from the white lights that shot out of them.

The second Grunt's two Pokémon materialized from the white lights that shot out of them. They resembled a tapir with sleepy eyes and a trunk and a gray-skinned muscular bipedal Pokémon with a short stubby tail.

"Who are those two Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

"Let's check them out," replied Tristan as he scanned them with his Pokédex, Dexter. He scanned the muscular Pokémon first.

 _"Machop: The Superpower Pokémon,"_ it identified. _"Machop's body is pure muscle. Its mastery of many types of martial arts makes it very tough._

 _"Drowzee: The Hypnosis Pokémon. It is said to feed on the dreams of its opponents. It is also known for its powerful Psychic attack."_

"You'd better be careful, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Those creeps aren't known for playing fair. They just sent out four Pokémon to try and mop the place with us."

"Then let's even the odds," replied Tristan as he took out two Pokéballs and threw them. "Butterfree, Charmander, I choose you!"

Butterfree and Charmander materialized from the white lights that shot out of them and prepared for battle.

"Pikachu, Pidgeotto, go help them!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu and Pidgeotto readied themselves for battle alongside Butterfree and Charmander.

"Well, at least they're not going to outnumber us anymore...it's four on four!" said Tristan as he prepared for battle himself.

"Drowzee, Pound attack! Machop, Karate Chop!" commanded the second Rocket Grunt.

Drowzee and Machop charged toward Butterfree and Charmander with the sides of their open hands, ready to smash into them.

"Charmander, hit Drowzee with your Flamethrower attack! Butterfree, use your Confusion on Machop!" ordered Tristan.

Charmander shot a stream of fire out of its mouth toward Drowzee while Butterfree's eyes and Machop's outline glowed purple.

Drowzee was hit by Flamethrower while Machop was lifted into the air, and tossed back down to the ground.

"Raticate, show the losers how it's done with your Hyper Fang attacks!" yelled the first Rocket Grunt.

Both Raticate charged toward Pikachu and Pidgeotto with their sharp glowing fangs, but Tristan wouldn't have any of it.

"Pikachu, Pidgeotto, use your Quick Attacks together!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu charged toward the first Raticate while Pidgeotto charged toward the second; both of them had white lines streaming behind them. They both scored direct hits on the Raticate, but it was clear that they weren't out of the battle yet.

"What do we do?" asked the first Rocket Grunt. "This kid's good!"

"He can't beat us if we attack him together!" answered the second Rocket Grunt.

They both commanded their Pokémon to attack Tristan's Pokémon with every ounce of strength they had. The Pokémon charged as quickly and as forcefully as they could.

"Okay, everybody, let'em have it!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu fired a Thundershock at the first Raticate; Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings for a Gust attack at the second Raticate; Charmander shot another Flamethrower at Drowzee; and Butterfree used another Confusion attack on Machop. All four scored direct hits, knocking their opponents out.

"What? We lost?! No!" exclaimed the first Rocket Grunt.

"We got burnt!" added the second Rocket Grunt.

They both returned their Pokémon to their Pokéballs and fled the scene.

"What a bunch of losers!" said Hillary. "They just run away as soon as they lose!"

"Let's not get overconfident," advised Tristan. "There may still be more of them, so let's go."

And they both went down the stairs to the second basement, hoping they could find some answers on why Team Rocket had taken over Celadon City.

* * *

When Tristan and his friends got down the stairs, they were shocked to see a maze full of strange arrow tiles on the floor with a labyrinth of walls between them.

"What's this?" wondered Tristan.

"It appears to be some kind of maze," answered Hillary.

"That's because it _is_ a maze, you fools," laughed a sinister voice over the intercom.

 _(Music Cue: The Mighty Mewtwo)_

Little did the kids know that the voice belonged to Giovanni.

Tristan was furious at the sinister laugh. "Who are you?!" he demanded. "Show yourself, whoever you are!"

"What's the matter, boy?" taunted Giovanni. "Tired of me already?"

Tristan lost patience. "Enough games! Where are you?!"

"All right, I'll give you a hint," replied Giovanni over the intercom. "I'm closer than you think I am. But you will need special tools to find me."

"What tools do you mean?" asked Hillary suspiciously.

"You'll soon see," replied Giovanni calmly, "but for now I'll let you deal with the maze. Signing off." Then he laughed maniacally.

"Hey, come back!" shouted Tristan.

But it was no use. The intercom turned off, and Giovanni's voice couldn't be heard anymore.

Well, we might as well try and navigate through the maze," said Hillary. "But what do you suppose we need to stop Team Rocket?"

"It's hard to say," replied Tristan. "But maybe we should start heeeeeeere!" He stepped on one of the tiles, causing him to spin around and around in the direction of the wall. He crashed into it face first.

"Tristan!" cried Hillary. She rushed into the maze to help Tristan, but stepped on another tile, causing her to spin into a different wall. She and Tristan were on opposite sides of the maze.

Butterfree and Pidgeotto saw what happened and spoke with Charmander and Pikachu. They all decided that Hillary was defenseless without having any Pokémon, and Team Rocket could show up at any moment.

Tristan would be worried about her, too as well as them. So the Pokémon split up into two groups to find their friends. Charmander and Butterfree went in one direction to try and find Hillary while Pikachu and Pidgeotto went in the other to find Tristan.

"Hey, Tristan can you hear me?" called Hillary.

"I can hear you, but I can't see you!" Tristan called back.

"Are you okay in there?"

"I've felt better."

Presently, on Hillary's side, Butterfree and Charmander appeared. She was glad to see them.

"Thanks for coming, guys," she said. "I'd be lost without you."

At that moment, on Tristan's side of the maze, Pidgeotto flew in with Pikachu on its back.

"Hey, guys," said Tristan. "It's good to see you." He called to Hillary on the other side. "Let's meet at the end of the maze, okay?"

"You got it, bro!" called Hillary.

"Butterfree, Charmander, keep Hillary covered!" called Tristan.

Butterfree and Charmander happily called their responses.

"Okay, guys, let's go!" said Tristan as he led Pikachu and Pidgeotto through the maze, hoping he would meet Hillary, Butterfree, and Charmander at the end of it.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: We Won't Give Up on Pikachu)_

Meanwhile, back at Giovanni's location, he was watching Tristan and Hillary go through the maze of tiles and walls on his security camera.

"That's right, my friends," he said to himself. "Get lost in the maze so my men can find you." He chuckled evilly as he stroked the pale tan fur of a purring feline Pokémon with a red jewel on its head. Then he looked up to see Jessie, James, and Meowth standing in front of him. "What do you want?" he grumbled. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"We're sorry," said Jessie. "It was our mistake."

"Uh, what do you want us to do?" asked James nervously.

"I want you fools to prepare for the kids' arrival," instructed Giovanni. "Grab that Pikachu and present it to me."

"But da twoips are still lost in da maze, right?" asked Meowth.

"Yes, but I expect them to regroup and find their way out soon," replied Giovanni. "Now go guard the entrance to the elevator."

"Yes, sir!" said the three agents as they made a mad dash to the elevator out of Giovanni's sight.

Then Giovanni said to himself. "They'll be defeated again for sure. Why did I instruct them to do that?"

The feline Pokémon just purred as it kept getting petted.

As the three agents made their way to the elevator, they thought about the so-called promotions they would get should they succeed in their task.

"As soon as we grab dat Pikachu and give it to da Boss, we'll be da top o' da heap!" said Meowth excitedly.

"We'll be glad when those twerps weep," added James.

"And then, we'll get a good night's sleep," finished Jessie.

"And the dough will be so deep, we'll have too much to keep!" they said together.

"You three, be quiet over there!" shouted Giovanni's voice from the distance.

"Sorry!" the agents called back as they prepared for Tristan and Hillary's arrival.

* * *

On Hillary's side of the maze on second floor, she, Butterfree, and Charmander were making good progress in the second basement floor, despite the spinning tiles and the many walls that were in it. She found some unused medicine items in great shape and put them away in her backpack for safekeeping.

Tristan's side of the maze was somewhat different, but ended up the same way. Tristan, Pikachu, and Pidgeotto kept getting turned around in the maze thanks to the spinning tiles and the many walls. He also found unused medicine items in great shape and put them away in his backpack.

They both made it to the end of the maze where they met up, just as they planned.

Everyone got in a group hug and rejoiced, but not for long, though, for just as they rejoiced at the reunion, Giovanni's voice came on the intercom again.

"Attention all Team Rocket members on the second basement floor: The kids are headed your way. Find them and crush them."

 _(Music Cue: Enter Mewtwo)_

Just then, several Rocket Grunts came up out of nowhere, and surrounded the kids and the Pokémon.

"Hey, where did you all come from?!" gasped Tristan.

"We were ordered to crush anyone who stands in our way," answered one of the Grunts.

Hillary and Tristan had their backs against each other, preparing for the worst.

"This is bad," whispered Hillary. "Now, what do we do? They've got us surrounded."

"I don't know, sis," replied Tristan. "But there's no way we'll ever give up. There's got to be a way out of this, and we'll find it!"

"Pika, Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

* * *

 _With the kids and Pokémon surrounded, Team Rocket has gained control of the situation! What is Giovanni's nefarious plan? And will our heroes be able to stop Team Rocket from succeeding in their evil plot? Find out next time!_

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	19. Chapter 19:BATTLE IN THE HIDEOUT, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 19 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through Kanto. Jessie, James, Meowth, and Giovanni make their appearances in this chapter, too. More of Shinji Miyazaki's music cues make their appearances in this chapter, too. As always, please read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are dealing with Team Rocket members left and right, but will they be able to figure a way out of this mess? Plus, Jessie, James, and Meowth are still after Tristan's Pikachu! And will Tristan and Hillary find the source of Celadon City's trouble and fix it?**

 **CHAPTER 18: BATTLE IN THE HIDEOUT, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Forest Grumps"))_

 _Last time, our friends finally arrived in Celadon City, in hopes of winning Tristan's fourth Gym Badge. However, Team Rocket had also infiltrated the city. After Team Rocket invaded the Pokémon Center, Tristan and Pikachu made quick work of the situation. He and Hillary quickly made their way to the Rocket Game Corner to run Team Rocket out of Celadon City. It was there that they discovered a secret hideout underneath. After escaping from the maze and regrouping at the end of it, our friends found themselves surrounded by several Team Rocket members. Will they find a way out of this mess and stop Team Rocket's plan? The battle continues!_

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and Charmander, still surrounded by many Team Rocket Grunts, had their backs against one another to try and think of something as Giovanni watched on one of the security cameras in satisfaction.

"Let's see how you get out of this, little boy," smiled Giovanni wickedly.

"Rattata, Raticate, get those kids!" shouted the Rocket Grunts as they threw several Pokéballs.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket-Powered Disaster)_

Several small purple rat Pokémon with curvy tails and bigger furry tan rat Pokémon with whiskers emerged from the white lights that shot out of the Pokéballs. All had oversized teeth.

"Rattata and Raticate," said Tristan. "Just great."

"It's a nice rhyme for a situation like this, but we need to get out of it somehow," suggested Hillary.

"Pidgeotto, Gust attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto quickly flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind from them. It blew two of the Raticate away, but two more took their place.

"Charmander, Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan.

Charmander fired stream after stream of fire from its mouth at multiple Rattata, but every time it defeated one, another always took its place.

"Pikachu, give them a Thundershock!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu shot a yellow bolt of electricity at the Rattata and Raticate, but with the same results as the last two attempts.

"All right, Butterfree, Confusion!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and some of the Rattata and Raticate's outlines glowed in a purple color.

The Rattata and Raticate were lifted into the air and tossed back down to the ground, but they got back up and were helped by several more.

"It's no use!" exclaimed Hillary. "No matter what we do, these things just won't stay down!"

"So are you giving up, then?" asked one of the Rocket Grunts.

"No way!" shouted Tristan. He turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu charged toward some of the Raticate with a white line trailing behind it and rammed into the Raticate with quick succession, but more Raticate took the places of the fallen comrades.

"Rattata, Raticate, show them YOUR Quick Attack!" commanded the Grunts.

All the Rattata and Raticate charged forward with white lines trailing behind them.

Tristan's Pokémon were hit one by one and fell down to the ground.

"You can do it, guys, just hang in there!" encouraged Tristan.

Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and Charmander all struggled to get back up after the flurry of Quick Attacks they had just endured.

"It's no use, boy," said the Rocket Grunt. "There's no way you'll whip us.

"Whip?" said Tristan. "That's it!" He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Ivysaur, I choose you!"

A light blue quadruped with a pink bud and bloomed bulb materialized from the white light that shot out of the Pokéball.

"Quick, Ivysaur, whip the Rattata and Raticate with your Vine Whip!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur shot two green vines from the bud on its back and repeatedly whipped the Rattata and Raticate with them.

"It's working!" remarked Hillary. "Ivysaur's Vine Whip attack is whipping those guys into shape!"

But Tristan wasn't finished yet. He took out another Pokéball. "Wartortle, blast 'em with your Water Gun!" he shouted.

Wartortle emerged from the white light that shot out of it and immediately fired a powerful stream of water from its mouth at the Rattata and Raticate. One by one, they fell and didn't get back up.

"Okay, everybody, let'em have it!" ordered Tristan.

All the Pokémon fired their attacks straight for Team Rocket's Pokémon. Pikachu fired a Thundershock from its cheeks. Charmander fired a Flamethrower from its mouth. Wartortle shot another Water Gun attack. Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves. Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings for another Gust attack. And Butterfree surprised everyone by firing a beam of mysterious light from between its antennae.

"Whoa, what was that?" gasped Hillary in wonder.

Tristan took out his Pokédex, Dexter, and looked up the attack.

 _"Psybeam,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Psychic attack inflicts damage and has a chance of confusing its targets."_

"Wow, this is so awesome!" remarked Tristan.

All the attacks from Tristan's Pokémon combined into one powerful force and rammed into all the Rattata and Raticate, knocking them out, and sending them flying into the Rocket Grunts. They all collapsed in a heap and fainted.

"We did it!" cheered Hillary.

"Great job, everyone," praised Tristan. He turned to Butterfree. "That Psybeam of yours was awesome! I certainly wasn't expecting that."

Butterfree blushed in modesty.

Then Tristan spotted something in one of the Rocket Grunt's open hands.

"What is it, Tristan?" wondered Hillary.

Tristan picked up the object and examined it closely. "It appears to be some sort of key card," he replied. "It may be what we need to help us advance in the hideout."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" said Hillary excitedly. "Let's go!"

"Everyone, return!" instructed Tristan as he took out five Pokéballs and aimed the buttons toward his five other Pokémon.

Five red beams of light shot out of the Pokéballs, transformed the Pokémon into red energy, and shot back inside. Only Pikachu was left out.

Tristan put the Pokéballs and the newly found key card inside his pockets and he, Hillary, and Pikachu made their way downstairs to the next basement floor.

* * *

Giovanni was still watching the children in one of the security cameras, and was most intrigued at the recent turn of events. "It appears the boy is doing well, but let's see if he can make it to me," he smiled as he pushed a few buttons on his TV screen and changed the video to what was happening on the third basement floor, which was where Tristan and Hillary were just entering. "I think it's time for a few more reinforcements," he said, and he turned on his intercom once again. "Attention, lone Team Rocket Grunt on the third basement floor...Two kids are heading your way...Find them and kick them out."

Tristan and Hillary heard the announcement and were beginning to lose their patience.

"I am really getting sick of that voice," grumbled Tristan.

"When will we face you already?!" exclaimed Hillary.

"If only there was a quick way to get to whoever is making those announcements," said Tristan.

"Maybe there is, Tristan!" replied Hillary. "Look there!"

Sure enough, there was an elevator right in front of them. They dashed for it just as it opened and went in.

"Let's hurry and find that person on the bottom floor!" said Tristan as he pushed the down button.

But the elevator didn't do anything.

"That's weird," said Tristan.

"What's weird?" asked Hillary. "Is there a problem?"

"I don't know," replied Tristan. "Could it be broken?"

"The elevator doesn't work?" said a voice. "Who has the Lift Key?"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

Tristan and Hillary were startled to find another Rocket Grunt right behind them, and they were trapped in an open elevator with no way out.

"This is the end for you, kids," said the Grunt. "There's no way to escape this clever trap I set up for you."

"So you planned for this? Let us go this instant!" demanded Tristan.

"No can do," smirked the Rocket Grunt. "This is MY trap and YOU fell for it. Now be good little kiddies and stay in the cell while I get the Boss."

"No, you fool!" shouted Giovanni's voice on the intercom. "You're the one who's trapped! Get away!"

"Hurry, Tris!" whispered Hillary. "We can use this situation to our advantage!"

"I'm on it, sis," replied Tristan as he turned to Pikachu, who was sitting on his right shoulder. "All right, Pikachu, give him a Quick Attack!"

Pikachu rushed toward the Rocket Grunt with a white line trailing behind it and rammed into the Grunt so hard that an item was sent flying from his hand into the air.

"NOOOOO!" he screamed.

"Quick, grab it, Tristan!" shouted Hillary.

Tristan rushed to catch the falling object in quick succession. Sure enough, it was the Lift Key that Tristan and Hillary had heard the Rocket Grunt talking about. It was just what they needed to make the elevator work.

"Oh, no!" cried the Rocket Grunt as he got back on his feet. "I dropped the Lift Key!"

"Well, it looks like we got what we came for!" smiled Tristan triumphantly. "Come on, guys, let's go!"

Pikachu and Hillary hurried inside the elevator just as the elevator door began to close.

"Wait! Come back here!" panted the Rocket Grunt as he rushed to try and stop the fleeing children.

But it was too late, for the elevator closed all the way, and he hit the door face first, knocking him out cold.

Inside the elevator, Tristan and Hillary were a bit nervous on what would happen when they reached the bottom floor.

"Do you think whoever planned this takeover will be down there?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, sis," replied Tristan, "but we'll have to be ready for anything at this point, so stay close."

As the elevator made its way down, three familiar figures were lying in wait for them.

"Those twerps should be here any second now," whispered Jessie.

"I can't wait to pounce on them," added James.

"Dis is one of da best plans ever!" agreed Meowth. "Once da twoips arrive, we'll take dere Pikachu off dere hands!"

"Shhhh!" whispered James. "You'll give us away!"

"Let's hide," advised Jessie. "The twerps are almost here."

And they hid from view just as the elevator arrived and Tristan and Hillary came out.

"Okay, here's the plan," began Tristan. "As soon as I find whoever has been making those announcements, we'll battle him and..."

But Tristan's speech was cut short by Pikachu's cry for help because it was grabbed by a rubber bag and placed inside.

"PIkachu!" cried Tristan.

"Not another step, twerps!" called a female voice. It belonged to Jessie.

"How dare you humiliate us at Mount Moon!" added James.

Tristan and Hillary were very annoyed.

"No, not you guys again!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Didn't you three learn your lesson?!" fumed Hillary.

 _Music Cue: Team Rocket Motto 1997-1998 M20 (as heard in "Beach Blank-Out Blastoise"))_

"Prepare for trouble...it's payback time," said Jessie.

'Make it double for this little rhyme," added James.

Then Jessie and James immediately went into their motto.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light, light, light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth, dat's right!" chimed Meowth as it stood between Jessie and James.

"Give back Pikachu right now!" demanded Tristan.

"We can't do that yet," cooed Jessie. "We're so close to the Boss, and he's going to be very happy once he sees his little gift."

"Ta-ta, twerps!" called James, as he, Jessie, and Meowth started to make a break for it.

"No, you don't!" said Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Ivysaur, I choose you!"

Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Ivysaur, use your Vine Whip to stop them!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur shot two green vines from the bud on its back and extended them enough to make the Team Rocket trio trip.

"All right, if it's a fight you little twerps want, you've got one!" snarled Jessie. "Arbok, Lickitung, I choose you!"

"Go, Weezing! Go, Victreebel!" shouted James.

A purple cobra Pokémon, a two-faced Pokémon with holes and a creamed colored skull, a pink bipedal Pokémon with a tail and long tongue, and a yellow bell-shaped Pokémon with green leaves and a gaping mouth and teeth emerged from the four white lights that shot out of Jessie and James' Pokéballs, but the bell-shaped Pokémon immediately went back to try and eat James to show its affection.

"Eeeeek! Victreebel, would you please stop?!" shrieked James as he tried to get out of Victreebel's gaping mouth.

"Well, this is interesting," murmured Tristan as he scanned the two new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Lickitung: The Licking Pokémon."_ identified Dexter. _"It uses a tongue that is more than twice the length of its body to battle as well as to gather food._

 _"Victreebel: The Flycatcher Pokémon. Victreebel lures prey with the sweet smell of honey. Swallowed whole, the prey melts into nothing in a day, bones and all."_

"Blech!" exclaimed Tristan. "That's disgusting!"

"You're telling me!" added Hillary. "We not only have to deal with Arbok and Weezing, but we also have to deal with two other gross Pokémon!"

"Weezing, Smog attack! Victreebel, use your Razor Leaf attack!" commanded James.

 _(Music Cue: Battle! Kanto Trainer (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne"))_

Victreebel fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves while Weezing fired a green cloud of smoke to cover Victreebel's attack.

Ivysaur found this hard to manage because it couldn't see the sharp leaves battering it one by one.

"Ivysaur!" cried Hillary.

"Go, Pidgeotto, blow this smog away with your Gust attack!" ordered Tristan as he threw Pidgeotto's Pokéball.

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of it and instantly flapped its wings furiously, creating a huge gust of wind.

The Smog and Razor Leaf attacks had cleared up.

"That was quick thinking, Tristan!" praised Hillary.

"Arbok, Poison Sting attack now!" yelled Jessie.

Arbok fired a barrage of poisonous darts from its mouth at Pidgeotto.

There was no way for Pidgeotto to dodge it from its current position.

"Quick, Wartortle, use your Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan as he threw Wartortle's Pokéball.

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of it and quickly shot a stream of water from its mouth. It easily negated Arbok's Poison Sting attack.

"Likcitung, try a Lick attack!" ordered Jessie.

Lickitung quickly extended its long tongue at Wartortle and successfully licked it on the face.

Wartortle became very dizzy.

"Wartortle!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Ah!" said James excitedly. "Looks like the twerps are getting licked!"

"Charmander, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw Charmander's Pokéball.

Charmander emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Hurry, Charmander, cover Wartortle with your Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charmander fired a stream of fire at Lickitung, who got hit by the blaze.

Wartortle then recovered from Lickitung's Lick attack and was ready to battle again.

"Yeah, that's the spirit, Wartortle!" said Tristan.

"Quick, Arbok and Lickitung, use your Wrap attack!" yelled Jessie.

"Weezing, Victreebel, Tackle attack!" commanded James.

Arbok and Lickitung charged forward and proceeded to wrap their opponents with their body and tongue, respectively while Weezing and Victreebel did full-body charge attacks.

"Wartortle, blast 'em with your Water Gun at full power now!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle took a deep breath and shot a huge stream of water from its mouth. It was so powerful that it sent Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel flying backward into Jessie and James.

The rubber bag was sent flying from Team Rocket's hands and was caught in Tristan's.

Pikachu emerged from the bag, happy to see its Trainer.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

"Pika, Pika!" replied Pikachu happily.

"That's a relief," remarked Hillary.

"Arbok, Lickitung, this battle isn't over!" yelled Jessie.

"Go get those twerps!" demanded James to Weezing and Victreebel.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Arbok used its serpent-like body to spring forward while Lickitung charged forward for a Tackle attack. Weezing fired brown sludge from its mouth while Victreebel fired another flurry of razor sharp leaves. All four aimed their attacks at Tristan's Pokémon, much to his and Hillary's surprise.

"Those guys just don't know when to quit, do they?!" exclaimed a shocked Hillary.

"Wartortle, use your Water Gun again!" ordered Tristan.

Again, Wartortle shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth at Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel, but this time they seemed to withstand it.

"No way!" cried Tristan as he watched Team Rocket's Pokémon hanging tough.

"Tristan, maybe Butterfree can confuse them," suggested Hillary.

"Right!" replied Tristan as he remembered Butterfree's newest attack. He took out its Pokéball. "Okay, Butterfree, let's see what you can do...use your Psybeam attack!" He threw the ball.

Butterfree emerged from the white light that shot out of it and shot a mysteriously colored beam of light at the four Pokémon.

Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel were all hit and acted very confused and dizzy.

"What's the matter?!" demanded James. "Hurry and attack them!"

But none of them listened to any of the commands their trainers were issuing.

"Don't just stand there, Meowth, do something!" shouted Jessie.

"Okay," replied Meowth as he leaped forward toward Tristan's Pokémon and extended its claws. "Time for Fury Swipes!"

"Pikachu, go!" yelled Tristan as he thrust Pikachu into the air from his hands.

Pikachu's electricity sizzled from its cheeks. Pikachu concentrated all of it into its body and fired a jolt of electricity at Meowth.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

But this jolt was much more powerful than some of the Thundershocks Pikachu had fired in the past, making Tristan wonder what attack it had just used. Nevertheless, it scored a direct hit on a screaming Meowth, causing him to fly backward into Jessie and James, taking the shock themselves.

The force of the big shock was so powerful that it caused an explosion, sending Team Rocket and their Pokémon skyward.

"Such dreadful twerps!" exclaimed Jessie.

"Now we'll never get promoted!" complained James.

"At least we won't get fired," finished Meowth.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" shouted the trio as they disappeared in the sky with a twinkle to mark their flight.

 _DING!_

Back in the hideout, Tristan and Hillary were amazed by Pikachu's newfound power.

"That was a big Electric attack," remarked Tristan.

"I wonder what that was?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe Dexter knows," replied Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Thunderbolt: One of Pikachu's strongest attacks,"_ said Dexter. _"Like Thundershock, Thunderbolt has a chance of paralyzing its opponents, but it is even more powerful."_

"So that was a Thunderbolt," remarked Tristan in awe.

"I guess your will to defeat Team Rocket was so strong that Pikachu felt it, too," added Hillary. "So it learned Thunderbolt to help you out."

"Not just me, Hillary, I think it helped us," said Tristan. Then he regained his focus. "Okay, Let's go deal with the voice in the intercom system. Whoever it is he's going to regret messing with us."

Tristan returned his other Pokémon to their Pokéballs save for Pikachu, as he and Hillary forged ahead to a door. Tristan swiped the Card Key through the slot. As he did so, the door slowly opened to reveal an office space. There, in an orange suit, sat the leader of Team Rocket: Giovanni.

He turned around, saw the two children, and said, "So! I must say, I am impressed that you got here."

"Why are you impressed?" demanded Hillary.

"And why did Team Rocket come after us when we came into Celadon City?" added Tristan.

"You simpletons," smiled Giovanni. "Team Rocket captures Pokémon from around the world. Needless to say that you have some very rare and powerful Pokémon on your side. They're important tools for keeping our evil organization going.

"Using Pokémon as tools for evil purposes is just sick!" fumed Hillary. "Humans and Pokémon are supposed to live in peace and help each other out!"

"Just who are you, anyway?!" demanded Tristan.

Giovanni smiled and said, "I am the leader of Team Rocket: Giovanni."

A confused look came into Tristan's eyes. "I've never heard of you," he said.

Giovanni smirked. _That's excellent, Tristan,_ he thought. _Your knowledge of me may be limited, but I'm sure you will know why we met in due time. You still don't know that I was the one who initiated the attack in your hometown all those years ago, but for now, just be happy that you don't know these little secrets...yet._ Then he said aloud, "I'm surprised that you have never heard of me, little boy."

"Why don't you just cut the small talk and leave Celadon City right now!" demanded Tristan.

"Hmph!" grumbled Giovanni. "For your insolence, you will feel a world of pain!"

Giovanni snapped his fingers. As he did, a feline Pokémon with six whiskers and a red jewel on his head lunged at Tristan and Hillary, who narrowly dodged its extended claws.

They were very angry for being attacked like that.

"Why is that Pokémon attacking us?!" demanded Tristan.

"That thing is dangerous!" added Hillary. "Someone could have been hurt!"

"Ha!" laughed Giovanni. "This Pokémon may be dangerous to you, but it is very tame to me."

The Pokémon growled at Tristan and Hillary.

"So it's _your_ Pokémon!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Let's see what it is," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Persian: The Classy Cat Pokémon: The evolved form of Meowth,"_ identified Dexter. _"It is highly regarded as a pet for its beautiful fur. However, it is extremely temperamental and difficult to keep."_

"Looks like your Pokédex didn't tell you how easy it was for me to soothe this savage beast," laughed Giovanni.

Tristan's face turned red. That was his last straw. "That's it! Go, Pikachu!" he shouted. He was clearly insulted by Giovanni's remark.

Pikachu leaped in front of Tristan, ready to battle Persian.

Hillary put her hand on Tristan's shoulder. "Easy, Tristan," she whispered. "Remember that Giovanni's evil and cunning, and will throw insults at you and attack you. You need to ease up on this and concentrate."

"I don't care how many insults he throws!" retorted Tristan. "Nobody gets away with it or attacking us for no reason!"

"Are we going to battle or are we going to spend the night arguing?" asked Giovanni. "All it's doing is keeping Team Rocket in Celadon City longer."

"He's right, Tris," advised Hillary. "The longer Giovanni remains, the longer Team Rocket stays in Celadon City."

"Then let's defeat him and drive Team Rocket out of here once and for all," replied Tristan. "Let's win it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu eagerly replied and awaited Tristan's directions.

"Go ahead, little boy," said Giovanni. "Attack from any angle you feel like."

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

Pikachu sped forward toward Persian with a white line trailing behind it.

"Ha!" smiled Giovanni. "Attacking me from the front? How quaint. Stop it with your Slash attack, Persian!"

Persian lunged forward and got ready to pounce on Pikachu with its claws extended.

"Watch out, Tristan!" gasped Hillary.

"All right, Pikachu, jump over Persian!" shouted Tristan.

Still trailing a white line behind it, Pikachu jumped in midair and dodged Persian's attack.

"A very good ploy," said Giovanni. "I wasn't expecting that. But Team Rocket will be winning this battle. Okay, Persian, grab it with your Bite attack when it comes down!"

Persian used its teeth to grab a defenseless Pikachu by the tail and spun it around.

"Pikachu!" gasped Tristan in a worried tone.

Persian thrust Pikachu down to the ground and inflicted some damage on it

Despite the damage it took, Pikachu struggled to its feet.

"That's the spirit, Pikachu!" said Tristan. "I know you can defeat that Persian!"

"It's time to wrap this battle up and take my prize, little boy," said Giovanni. "End it with Slash attack!"

Persian lunged forward with its extended claws and closed in on Pikachu.

"Tristan, do something or Pikachu's finished!" cried Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Mystery Menace"))_

"All right, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt at full power!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu's electricity sparked from its cheeks, then it was concentrated into a big stream just like when it was used on Jessie, James, and Meowth. The electricity shot toward Persian, which was struck by it with such force that it couldn't complete its attack.

Persian collapsed to the ground and started to get up.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" yelled Tristan.

Now, it was Persian, who was defenseless, as it struggled to get up, but Pikachu surged ahead at full speed toward it with a white line trailing behind it.

"Persian, hurry!" exclaimed Giovanni.

But it was too late, for Pikachu rammed into Persian so hard that it had been knocked out.

"What? This can't be!" gasped Giovanni. "My Persian lost to Pikachu?" Then he smiled as Pikachu stood proudly before its defeated opponent.

"You did it, Pikachu!" cheered Tristan.

Pikachu happily replied and jumped into Tristan's arms.

"You're the best, Pikachu," he praised.

Giovanni came forward as he returned Persian to its Pokéball. "I see that you raise your Pokémon with utmost care," he said. "Well done."

"Why are you complimenting my skills, Giovanni?" asked Tristan suspiciously.

"A child like you would never understand what I hope to achieve someday," replied Giovanni.

"And just what is it?" demanded Hillary.

"Here, catch this," said Giovanni as he tossed them a mysterious pair of goggles.

"What's this?" asked Tristan.

"This is a Silph Scope," answered Giovanni. "It will help you see through ghosts in Lavender Town's Pokémon Tower if you ever have the guts to go there. In the meantime, I shall step aside this time. I hope we meet again." "He took out his radio. "Attention, all Team Rocket members...retreat at once."

Then he tossed a spherical object in the air. It exploded into a gray cloud of smoke, which surrounded Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

"Hey, come back here!" coughed Tristan as he and the others tried to catch their breath.

When the smoke cleared, Giovanni was gone without a trace.

"He got away," grunted Tristan.

"I wouldn't worry about him, Tristan, but Pikachu's having the most trouble recovering from it!" said Hillary in a worried tone.

Pikachu was still coughing and was having trouble breathing normally.

"Pikachu inhaled lots of smoke!" gasped Tristan.

"Is everyone okay?" asked a voice. It was Officer Jenny. She had seen everything.

"Officer Jenny, please help us!" pleaded Tristan. "Pikachu needs to get to the Pokémon Center right away!"

"Come on, let's hurry!" advised Officer Jenny. "I'll take you there myself!"

Officer Jenny escorted Tristan and Hillary out of the hideout and out of the Rocket Game Corner as Tristan carried Pikachu in his arms.

* * *

A few minutes later, Officer Jenny's police car arrived at the Pokémon Center. Tristan, Hillary, and Officer Jenny got out of it and rushed inside the Center as fast as they could.

Nurse Joy was waiting anxiously for them. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Nurse Joy, Pikachu inhaled lots of smoke from the explosion!" panted Tristan.

"Let's take care of it right away!" advised Nurse Joy. She motioned for Chansey to wheel Pikachu into the examination room and followed them in.

Officer Jenny looked out the window and saw that there were no Team Rocket members in Celadon City.

"Well, it looks like Team Rocket's gone," she said. "You guys must have defeated their leader."

"We did," replied Hillary, "but he somehow got away after he was defeated."

"There may have been a few arrests, and we may not have arrested the leader, but at least the city is safe once more," said Officer Jenny. "Thank you both."

"You're welcome, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan, "but I think my Pokémon deserve most of the credit."

"I guess that's true," smiled Officer Jenny.

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

A few moments later, Nurse Joy came out of the examination room with good news. "Pikachu's going to be just fine," she said. "All it needs is a good rest. Come to think of it, I think the rest of you could use a good rest, too."

"You're very lucky you got here when you did," added Officer Jenny.

"Thanks for the lift, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

"We appreciate it very much," added Hillary.

"Good luck on your journey, kids!" she said as she exited the building.

"Why don't you leave the rest of your Pokémon here with me tonight while you two get some rest?" suggested Nurse Joy.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Come on, sis, let's get some sleep for real this time."

"You got it, big bro," she yawned as she followed Tristan to one of the bedrooms.

"After all the excitement tonight, I'm ready to try and earn my fourth badge!" proclaimed Tristan.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan and Hillary defeated Team Rocket and sent them packing. And after getting a good night's sleep, Tristan will wake up refreshed and ready to battle the Celadon City Gym Leader. Get some rest, Tristan...you'll need it!_

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	20. Chapter 20: The SCENT-SATIONAL BATTLE

**AUTHOR"S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 20 of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's adventures through Kanto. Ash Ketchum and Team Rocket are mentioned in this chapter, but don't make appearances. Erika, the Gym Leader, does make an appearance. As always, please read, review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is ready to face the next Gym Leader in his next chance to earn another Gym Badge. But will Gloom's awful stench stink too much for Tristan and his Charmander?**

 **Chapter 20: THE SCENT-SATIONAL BATTLE**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

 _Today, Tristan and his Pokémon are preparing for his Gym Battle in Celadon City, in high hopes for his fourth Gym Badge. He feels pretty confident in his abilities, especially after a long hard night of battling against Team Rocket! But will he get the sweet smell of success like the scents in Celadon City or will he be left stinking?_

"Keep going, guys!" said Tristan as he stretched his body. "Let's really stretch those muscles!"

Pikachu, Ivysaur, Charmander, Wartortle, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto all agreed with him as they stretched, too.

"Wow, Tristan, you seem to be working hard," remarked Hillary.

"I know," replied Tristan. "I'm trying to have everyone loosen up for today's Gym Battle, so my Pokémon are stretching their bodies to be even more flexible and I'm stretching along with them. After all, what kind of Trainer would I be if I didn't stretch with them?"

"Good point," said Hillary.

"Now that we're all warmed up, let's go to the Gym right away!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Ah ah ah!" replied Hillary, stopping him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

As she spoke, Tristan's stomach grumbled. After that, everyone else's stomach's grumbled, too.

"I forgot, but my stomach sure didn't," laughed Tristan nervously. "Let's have breakfast, and then we'll go to the Gym."

"Now, you're talking!" said Hillary as she and her friends made their way to the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

* * *

After a good breakfast, Tristan and Hillary walked around Celadon City, hoping to find the Gym.

"According to the map," said Tristan, who was studying it closely, "the Gym is supposed to look like a Gloom, but I'm not sure why it looks like one."

"I think the Gym Leader uses Grass Pokémon," replied Hillary. "That may be why. Do you have a strategy for beating them?"

"Butterfree and Pidgeotto can take care of those Grass Pokémon without too much trouble," said Tristan. "And Charmander can handle things if the battle gets really tough." He continued looking at the map. "Now, let's see, if we were to take a left here, and a right there..."

He was looking at the map so closely that he didn't see a young lady with royal blue hair in front of him and bumped into her by accident.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am," stuttered Tristan. "I didn't see you there."

"That's all right," replied the lady. "Just watch where you're going next time."

"There's a surprise," said Hillary sarcastically. "Every time you look at the map, Tristan, you always get yourself into trouble."

"There's nothing wrong with looking at the map," smiled the lady, "if you're looking to find your destination." Then she went into a small trance. "Lovely weather, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is lovely weather today," replied Tristan. Then he took in more of Celadon City's sweet scents. "This place smells as lovely as the weather."

"I'm glad you like it, young man," said the lady.

"I'm used to my grandmother's sweet smelling perfume back in New Bark Town," remarked Tristan.

"Oh, so you're from Johto, then?" asked the lady.

"Yes, we are," replied Tristan.

"Isn't your grandmother's name Veronica by any chance?" asked the lady.

"Yes it is, but how'd you know?" replied Tristan.

"Veronica's been a frequent customer at my perfumery for a long time," replied the lady. "Whenever she can, she stops by Celadon City and picks out some perfume to spread around her house in New Bark Town. However, there are some customers who really dislike the perfume she uses because they think it turns guys into zombies. As a result, Veronica gives them a good scolding, and sometimes, I allow her to stamp an X on the offending customers' faces. The customers get kicked out learning a painful lesson as a result."

"Whoa, don't mess with Grandma," remarked Hillary.

"Yeah," added Tristan. "I sure wouldn't want to get on her bad side." Then he introduced himself. "By the way, my name's Tristan, and this is Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

"And my name's Hillary," added Hillary. "It's nice to meet you."

The young lady introduced herself. "It's nice to meet you both. My name's Erika. I'm the Gym Leader."

Tristan and Hillary were shocked at the revelation. "You're the Gym Leader?!" they gasped.

"That's right," she giggled.

"We heard that you use Grass Pokémon," said Tristan. "How'd you get inspired to do that?"

"Well, this inspiration actually started when I was a child," replied Erika as she began her story...

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Unconditional Love)_

"One day, I was walking through the city and ran into a wild Grimer."

 _"GRIMER!"_

"I cowered in fear as I was very afraid of what it would do to me. Then, out of nowhere, this Gloom came by and noticed my plight."

 _"GLOOM!"_

"It was so kind that it used a horrible stench to send the Grimer scurrying."

 _"Oh, thank you!"_

 _"Gloom, Gloom!"_

* * *

"Gloom and I have been together ever since that day," said Erika as she finished her tale. "And that's why I was inspired to become this city's Gym Leader."

"That's a great story," remarked Tristan.

"But why doesn't your Gloom smell so bad all the time?" wondered Hillary. "We can't see it or smell its stench at all."

"That's a great question, Hillary," replied Erika. "First of all, my Gloom's in its Pokéball. But as long as Gloom doesn't feel like it's in any danger, it smells just fine. Just make sure that it feels safe and show that you want to be its friend."

Tristan was getting more determined than ever, then he said, "Erika, I'd like to battle you in the Celadon City Gym. Will you battle with me?"

"I accept your challenge, Tristan," smiled Erika. "After all, it's my duty to accept any and all challenges as Gym Leader."

"Thank you, Erika," said Tristan. "My Pokémon and I are raring to go."

"That's the spirit, Tristan," said Erika. "I'll take you to the Gym. Please follow me."

Tristan and Hillary followed Erika around Celadon City, taking in the sweet scents along the way.

* * *

When Tristan and Hillary arrived at the Gym, they were amazed not only by the scents inside, but the greenery and glass ceilings, too.

"This looks just like a greenhouse," remarked Hillary.

"It smells even lovelier than it does outside," added Tristan. "You must be very proud of your work here, Erika."

"Thank you, Tristan," replied Erika happily. "All of this city's sweet scents, including the ones at the perfumery, are made here. The Gym Trainers and I always want to make sure that it smells just right. Even after Team Rocket caused a fire that almost destroyed the Gym some time ago, we managed to get all the ingredients replaced and rebuild the Gym without much trouble."

"I didn't know that you had Gym Trainers here," said Tristan, "and I'm glad that you got this Gym up and running again. Last year, I heard on the news that a brave young Trainer named Ash Ketchum risked his life to save your Gloom from that nasty fire. Isn't that right?"

"That's right, Tristan," replied Erika, "and I'm still very grateful for what he did. Even after he insulted my perfume, his heart was at the right place at the right time, and I showed my gratitude by giving him a Badge."

"I sure would like to meet him someday," said Tristan.

"Me, too," added Hillary.

"Maybe you will," replied Erika, "but for right now, let's do what we came here to do and start our battle." Then she called, "Okay, ladies, it's time for another Gym Battle!"

Suddenly, Erika's Gym Trainers came to the battlefield. They were all ladies, and they behaved like them, too.

Hillary was ecstatic to see the ladies. "Yes! Bring 'em on!" she said excitedly.

Tristan was a little embarrassed, however. "Why am I the only "boy" here in this Gym?" he grumbled.

Erika giggled. "Oh, sorry, Tristan," she said. "I didn't mean to embarrass you like that, but this Gym has all female Gym Trainers."

"I should have known," replied Tristan. Then he regained his focus. "I'm ready for action whenever everyone else is."

Tristan and Erika took their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield while Hillary, Pikachu, and the Gym Trainers took their seats in the bleachers.

A female referee came to the field to judge the battle. She had two flags, a green flag in one hand and a red flag in the other. "The official Gym Battle between the Celadon City Gym Leader, Erika, and the challenger, Tristan from New Bark Town, will now begin!" she announced. "Each side will use three Pokémon. The battle will be over when all three of either Trainer's Pokémon will be unable to continue."

"I wonder how Tristan will do in this battle?" wondered Hillary. "He hasn't faced many Grass Pokémon until now."

Pikachu agreed with her.

"We'll see how easy it is for me!" said Erika as she threw her first Pokéball. "Tangela, go!"

A Pokémon with thick blue vines and red boot-like feet materialized from the white light that shot out of it. Its black face and round eyes could be seen through the vines.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Tangela: The Vine Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its entire body is wrapped in thick, blue vines. The rest of its form is obscured by these vines. The vines on this Pokémon never stop growing."_

"That sounds like Hillary on a bad hair day," teased Tristan.

"I heard that, Tristan!" shouted Hillary from the bleachers. She was clearly insulted by Tristan's latest remark.

"Sorry, sis!" Tristan called back. He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

Butterfree materialized from the white light that shot out of it. Its scaly wings sparkled in the sunshine.

"That's a nice Butterfree, Tristan," remarked Erika. "You must have trained it well."

"Thanks, Erika," replied Tristan. "I always try."

"Let the battle begin!" declared the referee as she raised both flags in the air.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

"Let's get started right away!" said Erika. "Tangela, Vine Whip!"

Multiple vines extended from Tangela's body and were aiming at Butterfree.

"Butterfree, dodge it!" commanded Tristan.

Butterfree flew from side to side, evading Tangela's Vine Whip attack. However, one of Tangela's vines struck it, knocking it off balance.

"Tangela, Constrict!" instructed Erika.

Tangela wrapped its vines around a vulnerable Butterfree and reeled it in close.

"Quick, Butterfree, use your Confusion attack to break free!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree tried, but Tangela's vines were wrapped around it too tightly for it to move.

"Tangela, Stun Spore!" commanded Erika.

A golden powder was released from Tangela's body and surrounded Butterfree.

Butterfree found it very difficult to move.

"No, Butterfree!" cried Tristan.

"Big trouble!" said Hillary. "Tangela's Stun Spore seems to have worked, making Butterfree completely immobilized!"

Erika giggled and said, "Poor Tristan. After the battle, maybe I should give you some Paralyze Heal to make your Butterfree feel better."

"Sorry, Erika, but I don't need your sympathy," replied Tristan. "Butterfree, try as hard as you can to move!"

Butterfree, still affected by Stun Spore, struggled to break free under great strain.

"That's it, Butterfree, you can do it!" encouraged Tristan.

Butterfree kept squirming and struggling, even though Tangela's grip got tighter and tighter.

"Okay, Butterfree, Psybeam!" yelled Tristan.

Butterfree fired a mysterious beam of light from between its antennae, and hit it at close range, giving it a lot of damage.

Tangela's grip slackened and Butterfree wriggled out of it with great difficulty.

"Yes, it worked!" cheered Hillary. "Now Butterfree's free!"

"Now, use your Sleep Powder!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree flapped its wings and a silvery powder spread toward Tangela.

Tangela's eyes grew heavy.

"Hang on, Tangela!" encouraged Erika as Tangela tried to resist Butterfree's Sleep Powder.

But it was no good. Tangela slowly fell down to the ground, closed its eyes, and fell fast asleep.

"Butterfree, give it a Psybeam wake-up call!" commanded Tristan.

Another beam of mysterious energy shot out from between Butterfree's antennae. It scored a direct hit on the sleeping Tangela, knocking it out.

"Tangela, no!" cried Erika.

"Tangela is unable to battle...Butterfree wins!" declared the referee as she raised the green flag.

"I knew you could do it, Butterfree!" praised Tristan. "Way to go!"

Butterfree nodded happily with great strain.

Erika returned Tangela to its Pokéball and held it close to her. "Thanks, Tangela," she said. "You earned a good rest." She then looked up at Tristan. "Well done, Tristan. You've proven that anything is possible, even when your Pokémon gets hit by Stun Spore. But let's move on." She took out her second Pokéball and threw it. "Weepinbell, go!"

A yellow bell-shaped Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It had one sharp leaf on each side, round eyes, a gaping mouth, and a short stem at the end.

"What's a Weepinbell?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Weepinbell: The Flycatcher Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"When hungry, it swallows anything that moves. Its hapless prey is melted inside by strong acids."_

"Whoa, that sounds almost as disgusting as Victreebel's description!" exclaimed Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"Weepinbell, give Butterfree a Wrap attack!" commanded Erika.

Weepinbell extended its stem and wrapped it around Butterfree.

"Butterfree, try and hang on!" encouraged Tristan.

But Butterfree was so worn out from its battle with Tangela that it really couldn't do anything.

"Butterfree must be so tired that it doesn't seem to have the strength to handle Weepinbell, also!" said Hillary worriedly.

"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf!" ordered Erika.

Weepinbell fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves, battering Butterfree at point blank range.

Butterfree collapsed to the ground with swirls in its eyes; it had been knocked out.

"Butterfree is unable to battle...Weepinbell wins!" declared the referee as she raised her red flag.

"You did well, Weepinbell," said Erika.

"Weepinbell!" it replied.

"Butterfree, return," said Tristan as Butterfree transformed into a red field of energy and returned back inside its Pokéball. Then he held the Pokéball close to him and said, "You were great. You deserve a nice, long rest." Then he took out his second Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Snack Attack"))_

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It had an alternating pattern of red and yellow tail feathers and red feathers on its head.

"Pidgeotto should have the type advantage, but who knows what's going to happen since Erika's the Gym Leader," remarked Hillary.

Pikachu once again agreed with her.

"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf again!" commanded Erika.

Weepinbell fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves at Pidgeotto.

"Blow those leaves away with your Gust attack, Pidgeotto!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings, creating a huge gust of wind, and sure enough, the leaves were sent back at Weepinbell, who got battered by them.

"No, Weepinbell!" cried Erika.

"Now finish it off with your Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgeotto quickly flew toward Weepinbell with a white line trailing behind it. It rammed into Weepinbell, scoring a clean hit. Weepinbell had Xs in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle...Pidgeotto's the winner!" declared the referee as she raised her green flag.

"Good job, Pidgeotto!" praised Tristan. "You really showed them what you can do!"

Pidgeotto squawked happily. It always loved to battle and win ever since Tristan saved it from a certain defeat at the Cerulean Gym. Now it was continually returning the favor by doing its best in battle.

Erika returned Weepinbell to its Pokéball. "Good job, Weepinbell," she said. "You fought hard." Then she looked up at Tristan. "As for you, Tristan, you've proven yourself to be a worthy opponent. It's time for my third and final Pokémon."

"You don't mean your Gloom, do you?" asked Tristan nervously.

Erika just smiled and took out her third Pokéball. "Gloom, go!" She then threw it.

A blue bipedal Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It had rudimentary hands and feet, orange leaves, and a reddish brown flower. As its name suggests, it had a gloomy expression on its face, but it really wasn't.

Tristan scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Gloom: The Weed Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Gloom gives off a very unpleasant smell. While strong against Water Pokémon, Gloom is weak against Fire and Flying Types."_

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo"))_

"You'd better be careful, Pidgeotto, because Gloom's smell could be dangerous," advised Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked its response.

"That kid is impressive," said one of the Gym Trainers.

"I know," replied another. "He's taken out two of Erika's Pokémon already."

"I just hope Tristan knows how to take on that horrible smell that Gloom emits," said Hillary. "If Gloom's smell is as stinky as Erika says it is, then he will be in for a difficult battle."

"Gloom, give your Acid attack a try!" suggested Erika.

Gloom shot a purple ooze of liquid from its mouth at Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeotto, Gust attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto quickly flapped its wings, creating another gust of wind from them. The wind made the acid dissipate.

 _If Gloom's smell is as dangerous as I think it is, then I'd better keep Pidgeotto a safe distance away,_ thought Tristan. Then he shouted, "Pidgeotto, keep going with your Gust attack!"

Pidgeotto kept flapping its wings furiously, leaving Gloom at a standstill.

"It's time, Gloom, so use that smell of yours on Pidgeotto!" ordered Erika.

A brown odor began spreading from Gloom's flower.

Pidgeotto cringed at the smell and fell down to the ground.

Hillary, Tristan, and Pikachu covered their noses.

"What is that smell?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"It's like I said, Tristan," smiled Erika. "It's the essence of Gloom's terrible smell. Gloom, Stun Spore now!"

A golden powder was released from Gloom's flower and petals.

Pidgeotto was covered in it and was completely immobilized.

"Pidgeotto, no!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Now, Petal Dance!" instructed Erika.

A flurry of pink petals shot out from Gloom's flower toward Pidgeotto in a twister like fashion. It was like a beautiful Razor Leaf attack.

"Look out, Pidgeotto!" shouted Tristan.

But it was no good. Gloom's awful smell combined with the Stun Spore had paralyzed Pidgeotto, making it seemingly immobile. Because of that, Gloom's Petal Dance easily scored a direct hit on it, knocking it out.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle...Gloom is the winner!" declared the referee, raising her red flag.

"Well, that sure stunk," said Hillary. I never thought that Gloom's smell would be so potent."

"Pidgeotto, return," said Tristan, as he Butterfree transformed into red energy and disappeared inside its Pokéball. Then he held it close. "Thanks, Pidgeotto. You did a great job."

"Now Tristan has only one Pokémon that he can use for this battle," said Hillary nervously. "I sure hope he knows what he's up against."

"Charmander, go!" shouted Tristan as he threw Charmander's Pokéball.

Charmander, orange as ever, materialized from the white light that shot out of it. The flame on its tail was burning brightly.

"Okay, Charmander," said Tristan. "I'm counting on you, so give it your best shot."

"Char!" replied Charmander.

"Let the final round begin!" declared the referee as she raised both flags.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble"))_

"This is it, Gloom!" shouted Erika. "Stun Spore!"

Another burst of golden powder spread from Gloom's flower.

"Charmander, use your Flamethrower to burn the Stun Spore!" instructed Tristan.

A stream of fire shot out of Charmander's mouth and burned the Stun Spore to a crisp.

"Now use your Flamethrower attack on Gloom now!" ordered Tristan.

Another stream of fire shot out from Charmander's mouth, this time at Gloom.

"Gloom, jump and use that smell!" commanded Erika.

At Erika's command, Gloom jumped out of the way of Charmander's Flamethrower and spread a brown odor from its petals.

Charmander covered its nose from that awful stench.

"Now Sleep Powder!" ordered Erika.

A silvery powder spread from Gloom's flower.

Charmander was still covering its nose from the awful smell that Gloom emitted, but because it had its eyes closed, it couldn't see the Sleep Powder surrounding it. The powder enveloped Charmander, who began to get drowsy.

"Charmander, hang on!" shouted Tristan.

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "If Charmander falls asleep, Tristan's going to be in major trouble!"

Charmander closed its eyes and dropped to the ground fast asleep.

"Charmander, you've gotta wake up!" implored Tristan.

But Charmander was fast asleep and couldn't be moved.

"Looks like this match is over, Tristan," said Erika. "Gloom, finish this off with your Petal Dance!"

Another round of pink petals in a twister like fashion shot out from Gloom's flower. The petals battered a sleeping Charmander one by one, much to Tristan's shock.

"Wake up, Charmander!" yelled Tristan. "Stay strong! You can do it!"

Charmander woke up to the words 'you can do it' and found itself in a petal tornado, much to its surprise.

"Quick, Charmander, use your Flamethrower on that Petal Dance at maximum power now!" ordered Tristan.

Charmander took a deep breath and exhaled a large stream of fire from its mouth to burn all the petals to ashes.

"Way to go, Charmander," said Tristan. "I knew you could do it."

"Charmander!" it replied. Suddenly, Charmander was bathed in a bright white light.

Everyone was very surprised.

"What's happening?" gasped Tristan.

"Charmander's starting to evolve!" replied Hillary.

Charmander not only grew in size, but it also grew claws on its hands and feet. It also grew a snout and a horn like protrusion on its head. When the light stopped, it was bigger and redder than Charmander was.

Tristan checked the newly evolved Pokémon on his Pokédex.

 _"Charmeleon: The Flame Pokémon: The evolved form of Charmander,"_ identified Dexter. _"It has razor sharp claws, and its tail is exceptionally strong."_

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Rivalry Revival"))_

"Wow, CHarmander evolved for me right when I needed it the most," whispered Tristan to himself. Then he focused his attention back to the battle.

"Okay, Gloom, don't let that Pokémon scare you," said Erika. "Use your Petal Dance again!"

Gloom fired another twister of petals at Charmeleon, but it seemed ready to take it on.

"Charmeleon, Slash attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon used its claws to slash the petals to smithereens. There was nothing standing in its way now.

"Try that smell of yours, Gloom!" shouted Erika.

Gloom began to release another awful stench from its flower, but Tristan wouldn't have it this time.

"Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower at full power!" commanded Tristan.

Charmeleon fired an extremely hot stream of fire from its mouth to not only cancel out Gloom's awful smell, but also score a huge direct hit on Gloom.

Gloom stood dazed and burnt by the attack, then it collapsed on the ground in a heap, much to Erika's shock. It had clearly been knocked out.

"Gloom is unable to battle...Charmeleon's the winner...and the victory goes to the challenger, Tristan!" declared the referee as she raised her green flag.

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge! (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

"Yes, we did it!" cheered Tristan.

"Charmeleon!" replied Charmeleon happily.

"Tristan really won," whispered Hillary in awe.

The Gym Trainers were shocked, but stood up and applauded for Tristan's victory a few seconds later.

"You were incredible, Charmeleon," said Tristan. "I'm proud of you."

Charmeleon ran to Tristan to hug him, but shot out a Flamethrower in his face to show its affection for its Trainer.

"Well, that's one way of being proud of you, too," stuttered Tristan as he collapsed to the ground.

Pikachu and Charmeleon looked at each other and just smiled.

* * *

That evening, everyone stood outside the Gym.

"Congratulations, Tristan," said Erika. "You've shown that your Pokémon are capable of so many things when it comes to battling and being friends with them. And today was no different. Your Charmeleon especially proved that toward the end of today's battle."

"Thanks, Erika," replied Tristan. "There were some moments that stunk, literally, but I had a great time battling you."

Erika took something out of her pocket. It looked like a petal with rainbow colors around it. "I present you with this Rainbow Badge," she said. "It is proof of your victory in the Celadon Gym."

"Thanks so much, Erika," replied Tristan. He gently took the Badge, raised it in the air, and proclaimed, "Yes! We got a Rainbow Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Charmeleon!" finished Charmeleon.

* * *

 _Another Gym Battle, another Gym Badge, plus one Charmeleon equals more excitement. Now that Tristan has earned his fourth badge, he feels more determined than ever as he continues his journey with Hillary and Pikachu with new adventures waiting just beyond the horizon._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	21. Chapter 21: A GASTLY ENCOUNTER

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been two weeks, but here is Chapter 21 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. It's longer than the other chapters, but the action should make up for it. Cassidy and Butch from Team Rocket, plus Officer Jenny from the anime, and Reina from the games make an appearance in this chapter. Two characters named Jack and Jill make appearances, too. If Romeo and Juliet can make appearances in the anime, I think Jack and Jill can, also. Plus, Shinji Miyazaki's music cues appear as well. As always, all feedback is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan has encountered many roadblocks on his journey, but will he be able to help two young kids retrieve a Cubone and Marowak from Butch and Cassidy? Will the criminals stick around to make the Pokémon Tower their secret base? And what are the true identities of three Ghosts, plus one white ghost?**

 **CHAPTER 21: A GASTLY ENCOUNTER**

 _(Music Cue: Opening 2 1997-1998 M01B)_

 _Tristan has been very successful over the course of several weeks, especially with his latest victory against Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader. But today, after weeks of intense training since his latest victory, he has now come to an important realization._

"I'm stuck," said Tristan as he sat down to lunch with Pikachu and his younger sister, Hillary one sunny afternoon.

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary. She looked puzzled.

"Well, sis," replied Tristan, "so far, I've earned four badges, and I made many new friends, and we all have been training hard these past few months, but I can't seem to get past the many roadblocks, including the blockade in Saffron City and two sleeping Pokémon on two of the Routes."

"TWO sleeping Pokémon?!" exclaimed Hillary. "I thought there was only one!"

"There's another one west of town," said Tristan. "There's got to be a way past them."

"Don't worry, Tristan," assured Hillary. "We'll get past them somehow."

Presently, they heard two voices.

"Oh, no, not my Cubone!"

"Give back my Marowak!"

Tristan and Hillary immediately turned to see two kids, one boy and one girl, frantically chasing two suspicious people, who had just sped away in a big truck.

"What's going on over there?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe we should go find out," replied Tristan. "Come on."

And they raced off to find out what the commotion was.

* * *

When they reached the two kids, they were most shocked at what happened, especially when they tried to understand what they were saying through their sobs.

"Those two people stole your Cubone and Marowak?" asked Hillary.

"Yes," sniffled the young girl. "We held on to our Pokémon as much as we could, but..." Then she started sobbing uncontrollably.

The young boy started sobbing, too.

Tristan and Hillary comforted the two young children.

"We'll get your Pokémon back for you," said Hillary.

"Don't worry, you can count on that," added Tristan.

The two kids stopped sobbing and said, "You'll help us?"

"Of course," replied Tristan. "We'll prove that Pokémon need to be treated as friends and family, not as tools for making money."

The two young kids cheered up. "Thank you so much!" they said as they cried tears of happiness. Then they introduced themselves.

"Hi, my name is Jack," said the boy.

"And I'm Jill," added the girl.

"Hi, guys," said Hillary as she and Tristan introduced themselves. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Hillary, and this is Tristan and Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

Suddenly, the big truck appeared and charged right toward them.

"It's them!" screamed Jack and Jill together.

"Them who?" asked Hillary.

"Who cares? Look out!" cried Tristan as he and the others got out of the path of the speeding truck.

Hillary was most upset. She threw her fists in the air and exclaimed, "Hey, watch where you're going! Do you want to hurt somebody?!"

Apparently so, for the truck turned around and headed right for them again.

"Not again!" cried Jack and Jill together.

"Hey, you! Get out here and give back the Cubone and Marowak you stole!" demanded Tristan.

"It's no use! They're not stopping!" shouted Hillary.

"All right, Pikachu, try a Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it shouted as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out of its body, but Pikachu's attack didn't seem to affect the truck at all.

"Tristan, Pikachu, watch out!" yelled Hillary.

Tristan grabbed Pikachu and got it and himself out of the way just in time, but not without spotting a huge red letter R on the side of the truck.

"Hey, that letter..." said Tristan as the truck started to disappear in the distance.

Hillary saw the letter, too. "That letter R on it...it's Team Rocket!" she realized.

"Team who?" asked Jack and Jill together.

"They're crooks who steal Pokémon and use them for their evil purposes," replied Hillary.

"What do we do?" cried Jill.

"They're getting away with our Pokémon!" added Jack.

"They won't get away that easily," added Tristan as he took out two Pokéballs. "Butterfree, Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

He threw the two Pokéballs as Butterfree and Pidgeotto materialized from the white lights that shot out of them.

"Go after the truck and report back!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree and Pidgeotto nodded their responses and flew ahead to catch the truck as fast as they could.

Just then, a police car came up and skidded to a halt.

A window rolled down, revealing a woman in police attire. It was Officer Jenny. "Please step aside. We've gotta catch that truck," she said.

"So do we, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

"Please let us all come with you," added Hillary.

"Please help us!" sobbed Jack and Jill together.

"All right, get in," replied Officer Jenny as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, Jack, and Jill quickly got into the car and raced after the truck.

* * *

As they sped to the east, Tristan and Hillary explained the situation to Officer Jenny.

"I see," she said. "So it looks like Team Rocket has stolen a Cubone and Marowak from these two young kids, and you promised to help them get their Pokémon back."

"That's right," replied Tristan.

"What's so special about them, Officer Jenny?" asked Hillary.

"It's because of their thick skulls," answered Officer Jenny.

"Their thick skulls?" repeated Tristan.

"Right," replied Officer Jenny. "Thanks to their thick skulls, they sell for very high prices on the market. But doing so is illegal, and I'm going to catch them."

Hillary turned her attention to the kids. "Can you two tell us about your Pokémon?" she asked them.

"Well, it all started a few months ago," Jill said as she and Jack began their story. "It was on our birthday."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Reunion)_

"We were just opening our birthday presents," Jack continued, "when suddenly..."

 _"Cubone, Cubone!"_

"We heard the cries for help and got to our front door. We found two Cubone who were badly hurt."

"Then we asked Mom and Dad to help out the poor things," continued Jill. "Thanks to their skulls, their heads were okay, but they needed to be treated in other places."

"Mom and Dad provided the medicine while we provided the bandages for its injuries," added Jack.

"And Mom and Dad let us stay up all night to watch them," continued Jill. "They liked them so much that they decided to stick with us."

"We wanted to practice our battling skills against one another in Pokémon battles, so we did," added Jack. "After weeks of getting stronger, my Cubone evolved into Marowak first."

 _"Marowak, Marowak!"_

"Of course, after that, my sister didn't want to battle me anymore because she always kept losing to my Marowak."

* * *

"The bottom line is that we've been friends with these two Pokémon ever since that day," finished Jill.

"That's a great story," remarked Hillary. "I can tell by the way you talked about it that you have close bonds with your Pokémon. It's just another reason why we need to get your Pokémon back for you."

"I want to find out more about those Pokémon," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex. The pictures appeared on the screen one at a time.

 _"Cubone: The Lonely Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"It wears the skull of its mother. This Ground-type Pokémon has a usual attitude of caring only for itself._

 _"Marowak: The Bone Keeper Pokémon: The evolved form of Cubone. Despite its small size, its offensive and defensive strength is impressive."_

Just then, everyone heard squawking and calling noises coming from outside the police car.

"What's that?" wondered Officer Jenny.

"It sounds like Pidgeotto and Butterfree spotted something," replied Tristan.

Officer Jenny rolled down the window as Pidgeotto and Butterfree flew alongside.

"What is it, guys? Did you find where those crooks are headed?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeotto and Butterfree happily nodded their responses.

"All right, take us there!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeotto and Butterfree increased their flying speed and went ahead of the police car.

"Follow those Pokémon, Officer Jenny!" said Hillary.

"All right, hang on!" replied Officer Jenny as she stepped on the gas, increasing the car's speed to catch up with Pidgeotto and Butterfree to their destination. Then, she spoke on her radio. "Attention, all units, this is Officer Jenny. Team Rocket's almost to Lavender Town. I have a Trainer at my location and his Pokémon are already following the criminals by air. Assist the oncoming flying Pokémon whenever possible."

"It sounds like you have backup in Lavender Town," remarked Hillary.

"Those crooks won't be getting away," said Officer Jenny. She sounded very confident as she sped straight to Lavender Town.

* * *

The residents of Lavender Town were surprised when a huge truck arrived in Lavender Town and sped off toward a spooky looking tower. Some residents were already paying a visit there when two suspicious people stepped out of the truck. One of them had turquoise blue hair while the other had short green hair while the other had gold hair in pigtails. They were Butch and Cassidy, and they appeared to be carrying a heavy sack with them. Little did the visitors know that a Cubone and Marowak were inside, struggling to break free.

"All right folks," said Butch. "It's time for you to go away."

"This tower is ours," smiled Cassidy evilly.

The visitors were horrified.

Cassidy took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Raticate, go!"

A brown rat with big whiskers and oversize teeth materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"I choose you, Mankey!" shouted Butch as he threw his Pokéball.

A monkey-like Pokémon with a pig's snout materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

The visitors cringed in fear as the two Pokémon prepared to attack.

"We're more than happy to use force if necessary, but we really don't want it to come to that," smiled Cassidy.

"So, if you want to ensure the safety of the Pokémon and yourselves," added Butch, "I highly suggest you go home."

"And don't even think about calling the police," continued Cassidy, "because if you do, the lovely Cubone and Marowak will be forced to do battle with Mankey and Raticate." Then she cooed mockingly, "Now you wouldn't want anything to happen to these cute widdle Pokémon, do you?"

The terrified residents scrambled out of the Pokémon Tower as fast as they could.

Cassidy snickered. "That was easy," she said.

Just then, Cassidy and Butch heard an angry squawk in the sky.

 _(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock"))_

It was Pidgeotto, and it was heading right for them with a white line trailing behind it.

Butch trembled. "Aaah! Easy for you to say! We have a birdbrain on our tails!" he quivered. "And it's using Quick Attack!"

"Run for it!" shouted Cassidy.

But it was too late, for Pidgeotto rammed into them in quick succession, causing them to drop the sack.

The sack opened up, releasing Cubone and Marowak from the sack. They made a break for it by entering the Pokémon Tower.

Butch and Cassidy picked themselves up and thought of another plan.

"We have no choice but to go after the Pokémon while we make our way to the top," grumbled Cassidy, "especially since we have two Pokémon that act like this place is their territory!"

"They won't get far," replied Butch as he and Cassidy raced to the top with Butterfree and Pidgeotto right on their heels.

* * *

Officer Jenny and her backup team of officers arrived in Lavender Town with the children just as Butch and Cassidy disappeared inside the tower.

"Those criminals got away," said Officer Jenny.

"Now what should we do?" asked Hillary. "Team Rocket must have been here."

"They must have gone into that creepy tower," shivered Jill.

""We've got to do something!" added Jack.

"But what can we do about it?" asked Officer Jenny.

"I'll tell you what we do," replied Tristan. "We'll bust in, stop the crooks, get Cubone and Marowak back, and help Butterfree and Pidgeotto."

"Then let's go," said Hillary as she and Tristan along with Jack and Jill ran off toward the Pokémon Tower.

"Please be careful in there!" called Officer Jenny as the kids disappeared inside.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Tower M61A))_

Inside the tower, Jack and Jill were trembling with fright.

Although Tristan and Hillary weren't as afraid as they were, they still felt a nervous chill.

"I don't like this place," shivered Hillary. "It gives me the creeps."

"I know what you mean," replied Tristan.

Even Pikachu felt scared, so it climbed on Tristan's shoulder.

Pidgeotto and Butterfree, who had been chasing Team Rocket inside the Pokémon Tower earlier, somehow lost their trail, so they decided to meet up with Tristan, and found him a few minutes later.

"Hey, guys!" said Tristan, who was greatly relieved. "It's good to see that you're both okay. Were you able to get Team Rocket?"

They both shook their heads.

"That's too bad," said Tristan, "but I'm sure you two did your best."

"Plus, I'm sure that Team Rocket won't find a safe way out of here without running into us first," added Hillary.

Presently, a little girl dashed into the tower, panting as she went. "You guys, please help me!" she begged.

Tristan, Hillary, Jack, and Jill turned around to see her coming toward them.

"What's the matter?" asked Hillary.

"Two people in black uniforms just went into the tower and are using it as their base!" she panted. "The visitors got scared and ran off because of them!"

"Team Rocket," said Tristan.

"Who are you?" asked Jack and Jill together.

"My name is Reina," replied Reina. "It's nice to meet you all."

"I'm Tristan," said Tristan as he introduced himself and the others. "This is my sister, Hillary, that's Jack and Jill, and that's Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

"We're trying to get our Cubone and Marowak back from that awful Team Rocket," informed Jill.

"Cubone and Marowak are like family to us, and we love them very much," added Jack.

Just then, everyone heard a spooky sound that seemed to come from above.

"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!"

 _(Music Cue: A Creeping Threat)_

"Wh-what's...that?" trembled Hillary.

"It must be the wind," gritted Tristan.

"I th-th-think it's a call from the d-d-dead!" shivered Reina.

"Please, Reina, do you have to mention 'dead?'" trembled Hillary.

The spooky sound echoed again. "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh!"

"You d-d-don't believe in gh-ghosts, do you, Jill?" asked Jack nervously.

"N-n-now that you mention it..." Jill began.

Then suddenly, a white sheet with black eye holes made itself known to Tristan and the others.

"AAAAAAAAAH! A GHOST!" screamed Hillary. "RUN!"

Then, everyone else screamed and ran in the opposite direction of the ghost, but suddenly, the ghost began laughing in a boy's voice. He sounded very cocky, indeed. The ghost took off the sheet and revealed what appeared to be a Trainer with spiky brown hair.

It was Blue, Tristan's rival. "Gotcha!" he laughed.

Tristan was very angry at Blue's prank. "That wasn't funny, Blue!" he shouted. "You really scared us! I hope you're happy."

"Nope, you're all too easy," replied Blue. Then he changed the subject. "So, what brings you here, guys? Your Pokémon don't look dead. I can at least make them faint! Let's go, Tristan!"

"You can't be serious!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Yeah, we don't have time for a battle with you right now, Blue!" added Tristan. "We have to find Team Rocket and rescue a Cubone and Marowak for these two young Trainers!"

Blue didn't believe them and said, "Likely story. Go, Sandshrew!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

He threw Sandshrew's Pokéball and Sandshrew materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"It doesn't look like you're leaving me much choice, are you?" said Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Is Tristan going to be okay, Hillary?" asked Jack worriedly.

"Don't worry, Jack," replied Hillary. "If I know Tristan, he'll easily scare Blue out of this place."

"Sandshrew, use Scratch attack!" yelled Blue.

Sandshrew sprung forward and proceeded to scratch Wartortle with its short claws.

"Wartortle, Withdraw now!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell as it glowed in a blue color.

All Sandshrew did was scratch Wartortle's hard shell, giving it no damage as a result.

"Now blast it with your Water Gun, Wartortle!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle's head and limbs shot back out of its shell as a powerful stream of water shot out of its mouth.

"Quick, Sandshrew, use your Slash attack on the water and strike it down!" shouted Blue.

Sandshrew extended its claws furhter than when it did than when it used its Scratch attack. It furiously thrust the water away and struck Wartortle hard, much to its and Tristan's surprise.

"Wartortle!" gasped Tristan.

"Wow, that Sandshrew's Slash attack packs quite a punch!" exclaimed Reina.

"Yeah, but Tristan'll figure something out," replied Hillary.

Wartortle slid backward on its feet, but was still in the battle.

"Okay, Wartortle, slow Sandshrew down with your Bubble attack!" ordered Tristan.

A stream of powerful round blue bubbles shot out of its mouth and scored a direct on Sandshrew, stopping it in its tracks.

"Quick, Wartortle, use Water Gun before it can recover!" commanded Tristan.

Instantly, Wartortle shot another stream of water from its mouth and scored an effective hit on Sandshrew, knocking it out.

"Yeah!" cheered Jack and Jill together.

"Looks like Blue's plan for a quick victory got all wet," added Hillary.

"Sandshrew, return!"called Blue as Sandshrew de-materialized into red energy and shot back inside its Pokéball.

"Tristan has trained his Wartortle well, hasn't he?" remarked Reina as she looked on.

"Tristan's been training hard for quite some time," replied Hillary.

"Okay, pal," Blue said to Tristan, "it's time to reveal the first of many surprises I have in store for you!"

He threw his second Pokéball and out came what appeared to be a black pearl-like Pokémon encased in a spiky blue-violet shell as it materialized from the white light. It had round eyes and a tongue sticking out.

"Hey, that's new," remarked Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Shellder: The Bivalve Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its hard shell can withstand any attack. However, when its shell is open, its tender body is exposed."_

 _I'll have to be careful,_ thought Tristan. _Wartortle's had a difficult time dealing with Sandshrew's Slash attack, so I will need to use another Pokémon._ "Wartortle, return!" he called as Wartortle de-materialized into red energy and shot back inside its Pokéball.

Pikachu leaped off of Tristan's shoulder and asked him if it could battle Shellder.

"Sure, Pikachu, go on out there," replied Tristan.

Pikachu ran in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle.

"Pikachu, Thundershock now!" yelled Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle)_

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it shouted as a yellow stream of electricity shot out of its body toward Shellder.

"Shellder, use Withdraw," instructed Blue.

Shellder immediately closed its shell, and as Thundershock struck it, the hard shell nullified the attack, causing Shellder to take no damage at all.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"Shellder, Supersonic!" commanded Blue.

Shellder opened up its shell again and emitted a loud screeching sound. As it did, thin blue circles came out from its shell, causing everyone except Blue to cover their ears.

"That's a very loud sound!" bellowed Reina.

"What?" shouted Hillary. "I can't hear you!"

The noise was so loud that it even reached the top floor where Butch and Cassidy covered their ears, too.

"Someone's got some nerve to scream their heart out!" bellowed Butch.

"I think there's a battle going on down below!" shouted Cassidy.

"Shellder, hit Pikachu with your Tackle!" yelled Blue.

Shellder charged toward Pikachu and hit it head on in the blink of an eye, but thanks to its spiky shell, Pikachu was dealt even more damage.

"Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Uh-oh," said Hillary. "Those spikes must have really hurt."

"Don't give up, Pikachu!" cried Jack and Jill together.

Pikachu managed to get back on its feet with some difficulty after Shellder's surprisingly powerful Tackle.

"Now smack it with your Clamp attack, Shellder!" commanded Blue.

Shellder charged again, but this time it clamped tight on Pikachu's tail and wouldn't let go.

"I'm glad I'm not Pikachu," remarked Reina, "because this tale is taking a turn for the worse."

Pikachu tried hard to shake Shellder off its tail, but the harder it shook, the tighter Shellder clamped on.

"Ha!" laughed Blue. "Shake as hard as you want, Pikachu, but you'll never be able to withstand Shellder's unbeatable clamping power!"

"Shellder may be clamping hard, but it certainly isn't unbeatable," said Tristan to Blue. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!"

It was then that Blue found his mistake. "Quick, Shellder, get away!" he cried.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it zapped Shellder at close range with its electricity.

Nobody knew if it was Pikachu's natural instinct or Tristan's command, but nevertheless, it was too late for Shellder to get away from Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Shellder!" cried Blue.

Shellder released Pikachu's tail from its grip and collapsed. It had been knocked out.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded as it gently held its tail after that experience.

"Shellder, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Shellder, who transformed into red energy and shot back inside. "Looks like I underestimated your skills, but here's another little surprise." He took out his third Pokéball and threw it. "Go, Vulpix!"

A red-brown quadruped fox-like Pokémon with six beautiful tails materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Vulpix may look beautiful, Tristan, but looks can be deceiving!" called Blue.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he scanned Vulpix with his Pokédex.

 _"Vukpix: The Fox Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Vulpix's fur and tails are extremely beautiful. As it grows and evolves, it grows even more tails. Vulpix uses powerful Fire attacks."_

"So it's a Fire-type," said Tristan as he put his Pokédex away. He turned to Pikachu. "You'd better take a little break, Pikachu. You battled hard, especially after that last battle with Shellder."

Pikachu came back to Tristan as he petted it on the head.

Tristan took out another Pokéball from his pocket. "Charmeleon, I choose you!"

Charmeleon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked much stronger since it evolved several weeks before.

Reina was confused. "Why did Tristan choose Charmeleon?" she asked. "Wartortle would have been a better choice."

"I know," replied Hillary. "But I suspect that Wartortle had a difficult time in its battle with Sandshrew, so he wanted to go with somebody fresh. But I know Charmeleon will do just as well as Wartortle would have done."

"Okay, Charmeleon, I know this won't be easy, but I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think you can do it," said Tristan. "We'll win this match together."

"Charmeleon," nodded Charmeleon.

"So, Charmander finally evolved, huh?" said Blue. "Let's just see how well it can handle Vulpix's Quick Attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Vulpix sped straight toward Charmeleon with a white line trailing behind it. It scored a hit, but Charmeleon easily shook it off.

"Charmeleon, Scratch attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon ran toward Vulpix with its razor sharp claws as the driving force. However, Vulpix's speed allowed it to dodge Charmeleon's attacks.

"That Vulpix is impressive, too," said Reina. "I can see that he's raised it well."

"Charmeleon's got to get a hit in sometime or it'll never win," added Hillary.

"Vulpix, get it with your Ember attack!" commanded Blue.

Vulpix fired multiple fireballs from its mouth, and seemed to hit Charmeleon, but it just stood there as if nothing happened.

"Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower attack!" shouted Tristan.

Charmeleon fired a stream of fire out of its mouth and scored a hit on Vulpix.

Even though Vulpix was a Fire-type Pokémon like Charmeleon, it seemed to struggle to hang on while still being caught in the fire.

"Vulpix, use that fire and give it another Quick Attack now!" commanded Blue.

Vulpix charged toward Charmeleon with a white line trailing behind it again, but this time it used the power of Charmeleon's own Flamethrower against it. It successfully landed a clean hit on Charmeleon, giving it heavy damage.

"Hang on, Charmeleon, don't give up!" encouraged Tristan.

"Wow, I never thought that Vulpix could use a Fire-type Pokémon's attacks against them before," remarked Hillary. "I have to admit, that last tactic was very creative."

Charmeleon struggled to its feet, then suddenly it got very angry.

"What's going on with Charmeleon?" asked Tristan to himself.

Charmeleon stomped on the ground, and its flame got bigger with each stomp.

"Do you think Charmeleon is getting ready for another attack?" asked Jack nervously.

"Maybe Dexter can tell us," replied Hillary.

"Then let's check it out," added Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Rage: One of Charmeleon's special attacks,"_ identified Dexter. _"It gets more powerful the more it is attacked. It will continue to battle until its opponent is defeated."_

"Wow, this is so awesome!" said Tristan. "All right, Charmeleon, Slash attack!"

Charmeleon lunged forward with its claws as the driving force again, but this time, it repeatedly struck Vulpix with them again and again.

"Vulpix!" cried Blue.

"Now, finish it off with Flamethrower!" shouted Tristan.

Charmeleon shot a more powerful stream of fire from its mouth than it did the last time. Vulpix's fur was singed due to the more powerful attack. It then collapsed and fainted as Charmeleon stood proudly over its defeated opponent.

"That's the way, Charmeleon! Good job!" praised Tristan.

Charmeleon nodded its head, despite the injuries it received.

"Vulpix, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button. Vulpix transformed into red energy and shot back inside.

"How did you like that, Blue?" asked Tristan.

"Aw, you lucked out on that one," replied Blue. "But now, let's see how you handle Eevee again. Go!"

Blue threw Eevee's Pokéball and it materialized from the white light that shot out of it. Its fleece was nice and shiny.

"It looks like Eevee's been groomed as well as it's been raised," remarked Hillary. "It looks like it's going to be tough to beat."

"You'd better rest for awhile, Charmeleon," advised Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Charmeleon.

Charmeleon transformed into red energy and shot back inside.

Tristan held Charmeleon's Pokéball close and said, "You were great. You battled hard." He put it away and turned to Butterfree, who was standing by. "Are you ready to go, Butterfree?" he asked it.

Butterfree nodded and flew in front of Tristan, ready to face Eevee in battle.

"Don't let Eevee's looks fool you, Butterfree," advised Tristan. "I'm sure it's gotten stronger."

"You're darn right, it has," replied Blue. "Eevee, Quick Attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

In the blink of an eye, Eevee charged toward Butterfree with a white line trailing behind it, and scored a clean hit almost immediately.

"Wow, that's fast!" exclaimed Tristan. "Butterfree, String Shot attack!"

Butterfree shot a sticky line of string from its mouth and wrapped itself around Eevee.

"Eevee, try and hang on!" encouraged Blue.

Eevee tried to stand up, but every time it did, it collapsed on the ground again thanks to the string wrapped around it.

"That lousy string is trouble!" grumbled Blue.

"Butterfree, give it a Psybeam!" ordered Tristan.

A mysterious colored beam of energy shot out from between Butterfree's antennae. It struck Eevee squarely in the face and broke the string that entangled it.

Eevee slid backward, but when it opened its eyes, it had a confused look in them.

"Eevee, try another Quick Attack!" commanded Blue.

However, instead of attacking Butterfree, it banged its head on the ground again and again, much to Blue's frustration.

"What are you doing, Eevee?" yelled Blue. "Snap out of it!"

"Why is Eevee acting weird?" asked Reina

"Is that the side effect of Psybeam?" added Jill.

"I learned that Psybeam can confuse an opponent in battle," replied Hillary. "That may be why it's attacking itself instead of Butterfree."

"Butterfree, Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

Butterfree charged at Eevee with all its might and rammed into it with such force that it knocked it out.

"Eevee, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Eevee, who transformed into red energy and shot back inside. "Well, Tristan, it looks like you haven't been slacking around after all. But now it's time for my final Pokémon."

"Is it your Raticate?" asked Tristan.

"Nope, not this time," answered Blue. "Raticate deserved to have some time off, especially after its last battle with Pikachu, and besides, I needed to catch some new Pokémon and train them for this moment. So I left it at Professor Oak's laboratory."

"Then, what's he going to use?" asked Jack nervously.

"Go, Fearow!" shouted Blue as he threw his last Pokéball.

A brown avian Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked much bigger than Spearow, and it had a long, thin beak and had a coxcomb on its head. Its wings looked powerful, too.

Tristan was very shocked. "What is that?" he gasped as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Fearow: The Beak Pokémon: The evolved form of Spearow,"_ identified Dexter. _"It's large, powerful wings allow it to fly for an entire day. The crushing power of its beak is tremendous."_

"That Spearow must have evolved," said Hillary.

"It sure looks nasty," added Jill nervously.

"I sure hope Tristan knows what he's up against," finished Reina.

"Butterfree, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Butterfree, who transformed into red energy and shot back inside. He then turned to Pidgeotto, who was standing by. "Okay, Pidgeotto, let's go."

Pidgeotto flew in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle against Fearow, but just then, they heard screams from the top of the tower.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"What was that?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know, but maybe we should go check it out," replied Blue. "Let's go, Fearow!"

Blue proceeded up the stairs, followed closely by Fearow.

"Come on, guys, let's go, too," advised Tristan.

"Right!" everyone else said, as they, Pikachu, and Pidgeotto followed Tristan up the stairs after Blue.

* * *

At the top, Cassidy and Butch were trembling at the sight of what appeared to be three purple floating ghosts with hands.

"Cassidy, I'm scared!" quivered Butch. "I don't know what those things are or what they want from us!"

"Maybe they'll leave us alone if we brought them some Pokémon to play with?" suggested Cassidy.

"Like that Cubone and Marowak! Great idea!" replied Butch.

"It's Team Rocket!" shouted a voice.

Cassidy and Butch turned around to see that voice belonged to Tristan. The others were standing beside him.

Hillary was clearly disgusted. "It's Cassidy and Batch again!" she fumed.

"Ugh! The name is Butch!" shouted Butch. "Don't you remember my name?!"

"You're the no-good crooks who were abusing Bulbasaur back in Cerulean City!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Give back our Cubone and Marowak, you robbers!" demanded Jack and Jill together.

"We'd love to do that, but they aren't here right now," replied Cassidy.

"This isn't funny! What have you done with them?!" demanded Hillary.

Presently, two voices came from just down the stairs, and they were racing up to the top as fast as they could. Two bipedal Pokémon with thick skulls and bones in their hands came into view.

"That's my Cubone!" cried Jill happily.

"And Marowak!" added Jack.

"That's the Cubone and Marowak?" asked Tristan and Hillary together.

Jack and Jill hugged Marowak and Cubone, respectively. They were greatly relieved to see them unharmed.

"But why would they wander the tower?" asked Reina.

"It's all thanks to that stupid Pidgeotto!" shouted Cassidy, pointing at Pidgeotto.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

"After we stole the Cubone and Marowak, we made our way to the tower and scared off the visitors, but as soon as we got there, that birdbrain acted territorial and attacked us, causing us to lose them!" fumed Butch.

"We tried hard to find them, but it seemed like they just disappeared without a trace," added Cassidy. "Those two seemed to be very good at hiding."

"But a few minutes after we got to the top, these ghosts came out of nowhere and just wanted to torture us for the rest of our miserable lives!" trembled Butch.

* * *

"Please help us get rid of them!" pleaded Butch and Cassidy.

"And why should we help you after you caused a whole lot of trouble for these two young kids?" asked Hillary suspiciously.

"And why should I discipline my Pidgeotto for doing exactly what needed to be done?" added Tristan.

"Please help!" begged Butch and Cassidy.

The ghosts kept surrounding the two terrified Team Rocket members.

"What do you say, guys?" whispered Tristan. "We can't just leave them here."

"Well, if you're not going to take action, I will!" said Blue. "Let's go, Fearow!"

Fearow charged for the ghosts, but stopped dead in its tracks because the ghosts now turned their attention to Fearow and were torturing it with spooky sounds.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" they cried.

"Go on, Fearow, attack them!" ordered Blue.

But Fearow was too scared to move.

Even Pikachu cowered behind Tristan's legs.

"It seems like anyone who tries to battle the ghosts somehow gets tortured," said Reina.

"Do something!" begged Butch and Cassidy.

"Hold on," said Tristan as e dug through his backpack. "I'll use this!" He found the Silph Scope that Giovanni had given him earlier on his journey and put it on his head.

"That must be the Silph Scope," said Cassidy. "The Boss must have handed it to him."

"But why would he do that?" wondered Butch.

Using the most advanced technology available, Tristan used the Silph Scope to unmask the ghosts' true identities. They were three Pokémon in disguise. One of them was a spherical Pokémon with gas surrounding it. The second Pokémon had a round head with disembodied hands. And the third Pokémon had a dark purple body with red eyes and a sinister grin.

Tristan took out his Pokédex and scanned them, one at a time.

 _"Gastly: The Gas Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Some researchers believe this Pokémon is a multidimensional being."_

"Who's the Pokémon with the floating hands?" trembled Jack and Jill.

 _"Haunter: The Gas Pokémon,"_ continued Dexter. _"After evolving from Gastly, Haunter can learn the Dream Eater and Psychic attacks."_

"I really don't like that sinister grin on the last Pokémon," shivered Hillary.

 _"Gengar: The Shadow Pokémon: The evolved form of Haunter. Details about this Pokémon are unknown."_

"Details unknown?" said Tristan nervously.

Suddenly, the Ghost Pokémon's eyes glowed red and a dark crimson beam shot out from them, causing everyone to step back.

"What are they doing now?" asked Hillary.

"They're using Night Shade!" exclaimed Reina.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a bolt of electricity shot out of its body. It didn't hit the ghosts, but they obviously got spooked enough to stop attacking.

After the Thunderbolt stopped, Pikachu tried talking with the Ghost Pokémon, convincing them that everyone came as friends, not enemies.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar understood what Pikachu was saying, and they started to float back down the stairs to try and spook some more guests another time.

"Well, it looks like the Ghost Pokémon listened to Pikachu," said Hillary.

"That's a relief," replied Reina.

Just as Cubone and Marowak happily looked on, Butch and Cassidy grabbed them from behind and put them in the sack again, much to everyone's shock.

"Hey, give our Pokémon back!" demanded Jack and Jill together. as they stomped up and down.

"That reaction is just priceless!" laughed Cassidy. "I'd love to see how this turns out, but we've gotta go."

"See ya!" laughed Butch as he and Cassidy started to run off.

"We'll see about that," said Tristan as he turned to Pidgeotto. "Pidgeotto, stop them with your Quick Attack!"

Pidgeotto raced off after the fleeing Rockets with a white line trailing behind it. It quickly got ahead of them and blocked their way.

"You're not going anywhere!" shouted Tristan.

"Give back our Pokémon right now!" demanded Jack.

"Or you will be sorry!" added Jill.

"Pika-pika!" added Pikachu.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket Kanto Motto M20B (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters"))_

"Maybe you should prepare for trouble," advised Cassidy.

"And then we'll make your trouble double," added Butch.

Then they recited their motto.

"To infect the world with devastation."

"To blight all peoples in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love."

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch!"

"Team Rocket circling earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!" chimed a rat-like Pokémon, who stood in front of Butch and Cassidy.

"Didn't you learn your lesson the last time, you losers?!" fumed Tristan.

"Listen, kid, do you honestly enjoy trying our patience?!" shouted Cassidy. She was clearly annoyed at Tristan's insult. "If you won't leave us alone, then we'll just have to force all of you out! Raticate, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Showdown at Dark City"))_

Raticate charged in front of Cassidy and prepared for battle.

"Go, Mankey!" commanded Butch as he threw a Pokéball.

Mankey materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"I'll join in, too," said Blue.

"Raticate, Hyper Fang attack!" yelled Cassidy.

Raticate charged at Fearow with its teeth bared.

"Go, Fearow, Fury Attack!" commanded Blue.

Fearow charged at Raticate and furiously pecked at them with its beak repeatedly.

"Stop that pecking, you feathered birdbrain!" demanded Cassidy.

"Mankey, Thrash attack!" commanded Butch.

Mankey charged at Fearow and stomped it, punched it, kicked it, and combined its ways of hitting Fearow together. It was like it was out of control. Fearow was getting pulverized.

"Fearow!" cried Blue.

"Pidgeotto, hit Mankey with your Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto sped toward Mankey with a white line trailing behind it and scored a clean hit on it.

Mankey was sent flying into Butch and Cassidy, who in turn dropped the sack containing Cubone and Marowak.

They both rushed out to their happy trainers and hugged them.

"Let's join the battle, too, sis," advised Jack.

"You got it!" replied Jill.

"You will do no such thing!" shouted Cassidy. "Raticate, Skull Bash now!"

"Mankey, Thrash attack!" ordered Butch.

The two Pokémon charged toward Cubone and Marowak.

"Ready, Jill?" asked Jack.

"Ready, Jack," replied Jill.

Then they both ordered, "Double Bonemerang attack!"

Cubone and Marowak each threw their bones like boomerangs and struck the two Pokémon, sending them backward into Butch and Cassidy.

Cassidy, Butch, and their Pokémon groaned as they lay in a heap when suddenly, the three Ghost Pokémon appeared in front of them, causing them to scream in terror.

Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar were all clearly annoyed that their home was taken over by two troublemakers, and they wanted to teach them a lesson.

"What are the Ghost Pokémon doing?" wondered Tristan.

"I guess they want to help us out," replied Hillary.

The three Ghost Pokémon's eyes glowed red and a dark crimson beam shot out at them and hit them, causing a huge explosion, which sent them hurtling through the sky.

"Looks like we're blasting off again!" yelled Butch and Cassidy as they disappeared with a twinkle to mark their flight.

 _DING!_

Back at the top of Pokémon Tower, Tristan, Hillary, Blue, and Reina were all impressed with Jack and Jill's Marowak and Cubone, respectively.

"That double Bonemerang was really strong," remarked Tristan.

"It certainly taught those two a lesson the hard way," added Hillary.

"I liked the way that attack worked," finished Reina.

"I guess it was impressive," said Blue.

"Oh, come on, Blue, you know as well as I do that those two Pokémon were impressive," retorted Tristan.

"Well, not as impressive as this Pokémon," said Blue as he took out a Pokéball, which opened as another Cubone materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"What? How did you...When did you..." Tristan was clearly lost in what he was trying to say.

"That's right, kiddo, I just caught a Cubone, too!" smirked Blue. He returned his Cubone and his exhausted Fearow to their Pokéballs.

"Hey, wait, what about our battle, Blue?" asked Tristan.

"We'll finish it another time," replied Blue. "Anyway, I'd better get going, pal. I've got a lot to accomplish. Smell ya later!" And he started for the exit, leaving Tristan clearly annoyed.

"That Blue," grumbled Tristan. "He's just lucky that Team Rocket showed up and interrupted our battle."

"Never mind him, Tristan," said Hillary calmly. "We still managed to get Jack and Jill's Cubone and Marowak back."

"That's right," added Jack and Jill. "And thank you all so much."

"We were just happy to help," replied Tristan.

"Now, what do you say we get out of here?" suggested Reina.

And they all started for the exit as visitors started coming back inside the Pokémon Tower to pay their respects.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge! (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge"))_

Later that evening, Tristan and his friends were standing outside the Pokémon Tower with Officer Jenny.

"We may not have been able to make any arrests," said Officer Jenny, "however, you managed to drive those criminals out of town. Everyone in Lavender Town is most grateful."

"Thank you, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

"We're just glad things turned out okay," added Hillary.

"Especially since we got Cubone and Marowak back for Jack and Jill," finished Reina.

"Thank you so much, you guys," said Jack.

"And to show my gratitude, I want to give you something," said Officer Jenny as she handed Tristan a strange looking flute.

"What's this?" wondered Tristan.

"It's a Poké Flute," answered Officer Jenny. "You can use it to wake sleeping Pokémon."

"Tristan, this Poké Flute may be your answer to getting out of your rut!" said Hillary excitedly.

"I heard that there were sleeping Pokémon on two of the Routes," said Tristan.

"In that case, you should use it on those routes to clear the problem," advised Officer Jenny.

"I'll make sure that he does," replied Hillary.

* * *

"Good luck on your journey!" called Officer Jenny as she waved good-bye to Tristan and Hillary.

"Thanks for helping us, guys!" called Jack and Jill.

"Take care!" added Reina.

* * *

 _Thanks to Hillary and Tristan, Lavender Town's residents can visit the Pokémon Tower without fear, except when they see the residing Ghost Pokémon. Not only that, they helped two young kids defeat Butch and Cassidy and get their Cubone and Marowak safely back to them. And now, it's time for Tristan and Hillary to continue to the next Gym._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	22. Chapter 22

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been quite a while, but here is Chapter 22 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through Kanto. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues are in there. For those of you who like Peg + Cat, which is owned by the Fred Rogers Company, there's a big problem, and there's a REALLY big problem. I wonder if they watched Tristan and Hillary before they had their own show debut? That may be where this problem comes in. As always, feedback of any kind is welcome.**

 **TEASER: A sleeping Snorlax has blocked the road to Fuchsia City. Will Tristan and Hillary find a way to wake it up so they can move on or will they be at a dead end?**

 **Chapter 22: THE SNORLAX PROBLEM**

 _Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are now on their way to the next Gym, but they don't seem to know where that Gym is at the moment, especially since there's a sleeping Pokémon blocking their way._

"Whoa, look at that!" exclaimed Tristan as he and Hillary walked on a pier on Route 12.

He and Hillary were amazed to see the figure of a giant sleeping Pokémon blocking the T section of Routes 11, 12 and 13.

"I wonder what it is?" wondered Hillary.

"Maybe Dexter knows," replied Tristan as he scanned the enormous Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Snorlax: The Sleeping_ _Pokemon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Snorlax_ _isn't satisfied unless it eats at least 900 pounds of food per day. Once it is full, it promptly goes to sleep."_

"Whoa!" exclaimed Hillary. "Nine hundred pounds of food a day?! That's a lot!"

"You're telling me!" replied Tristan. "I've never heard of a Pokémon that ate that much. My appetite is definitely no match for Snorlax."

"But now, we need to figure out a way to wake it up so we can move on," said Hillary. "This is a big problem!"

"Wait a second," replied Tristan as he dug into his backpack.

"What are you looking for, big bro?" asked Hillary.

"This," answered Tristan as he took out a gold-colored flute with a Pokéball shape on it.

"The Poké Flute!" said Hillary. "Great idea! We can use that to wake Snorlax up! So the problem will be solved."

"Here goes nothing," said Tristan as he began to play.

 _(Music Cue: Poké Flute (as heard the first time in "Wake Up, Snorlax"))_

As Tristan played, Snorlax drowsed comfortably, then its eyes blinked.

"It's working!" whispered Hillary. "Snorlax is waking up!"

As the music continued, Snorlax slowly stood on its feet and danced.

"Snorlax seems to enjoy the music," remarked Hillary.

However, as the music ended, Snorlax's expression of joy on its face turned into rage. It began stomping on the pier.

"I think I made it mad," said Tristan.

"I'll say," agreed Hillary. "I guess it didn't want to be disturbed during its afternoon nap."

Pikachu replied in agreement.

Snorlax, who was still grumpy, continued to stomp on the pier.

Tristan tried to explain. "We're sorry we interrupted your nap, Snorlax," he began, "but you were blocking the road and we needed to get through and..."

As Tristan spoke, Snorlax leaned forward and was about to crush him and Pikachu under its massive body.

"Look out!" cried Hillary as she pushed them out of the way just in time.

Tristan and Pikachu recovered as they stood back up on their feet.

"That was a close one," panted Hillary. "You were almost hit by Snorlax's Body Slam."

"What did you do that for, Snorlax?" demanded Tristan.

"Pika!" added Pikachu.

Snorlax just stood there, glaring at Tristan.

"It doesn't look like Snorlax wants to listen to you," observed Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"All right, then," replied Tristan. "We'll just have to battle it so we can pass by." He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

Butterfree materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Snorlax charged toward Butterfree and used its big head to attack.

"That looks like Snorlax's Headbutt!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Butterfree, dodge!" commanded Tristan.

Butterfree swerved out of the way of Snorlax's attack.

Snorlax fell into the water and made a big splash, causing everyone in the area to get soaked.

Hillary was very angry. "Hey, I just took a bath today, you know!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Butterfree, Confusion!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree's eyes and Snorlax's outline glowed in a purple color, but Snorlax didn't get lifted up at all.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan. "Butterfree's Confusion attack doesn't seem to be working." He took out his Pokédex again.

 _"Snorlax is considered to be one of the heaviest Pokémon, with some weighing more than 1,000 pounds."_

"One thousand pounds?" gasped Tristan.

"Gosh, no wonder!" exclaimed Hillary. "Maybe you should try another attack."

"Right," replied Tristan. "Butterfree, try a Psybeam!"

A mysterious colored beam shot out from between Butterfree's antennae at Snorlax, but even as it got hit, it didn't seem fazed by the attack and shook it off.

"Butterfree's Psybeam doesn't seem to be working either," grunted Tristan.

Then Snorlax charged toward Butterfree and used its massive body to attack.

"Snorlax is using its Body Slam!" gasped Hillary.

"Look out, Butterfree!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late, for Snorlax's gigantic body flattened Butterfree's tiny body. When Snorlax stood up, Butterfree had a dizzy expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

Tristan rushed toward Butterfree and gently touched it. He could tell that it's whole body was hurting. "Are you okay, Butterfree?"

Butterfree gave a painful reply.

"How rude," remarked Hillary. "Snorlax ought to know better than to throw its weight around like that."

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Then, just to try and add insult to injury, Snorlax picked up Butterfree in its grubby hands and held it close to its gaping mouth, much to Tristan and Hillary's horror.

Butterfree tried to squirm free, but the pain from its battle made it seemingly immobile.

"Hold on, Snorlax!" gasped Hillary frantically. "Butterfree's not on the menu! Tristan, do something before Butterfree becomes Snorlax's lunch!"

"Quick, Butterfree, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button at Butterfree.

A red energy beam shot out from the ball and hit Butterfree as it transformed into red energy and disappeared back inside.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu sighed with relief.

"That was close," said Tristan. "Butterfree almost got eaten."

"I guess Snorlax likes to eat as much as it likes to sleep," remarked Hillary.

"We've tried waking it up," Hillary said, "but it only got mad."

"And we tried battling it," added Tristan, "but Butterfree was no match for it."

"Not only that, Butterfree was almost Snorlax's latest entrée," finished Hillary.

"This is a REALLY big problem," agreed Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Since this is a Pokémon problem, we need to find a Pokémon solution, so let's go back to the Pokémon Center in Lavender Town so Nurse Joy can help us," suggested Hillary.

"Good thinking, sis," replied Tristan. "Besides, Butterfree needs medical attention."

And so, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu raced away just as Snorlax lay back down and fell fast asleep.

* * *

Some time later, as they were waiting for Nurse Joy to come out of the examination room with Butterfree, Tristan and Hillary were attempting to think of a plan.

"There has to be a way to defeat Snorlax, but what?" said Tristan. There was no doubt that he was frustrated.

"Don't worry, Tristan," assured Hillary. "You'll think of something."

"I still can't believe that Snorlax easily defeated Butterfree with just one attack," said Tristan.

"Don't forget that Butterfree's weight pales in comparison to Snorlax's weight, which, may I remind you, is over 1,000 pounds," replied Hillary.

"You're right," said Tristan. He paused for a second. "Maybe if I used a bigger Pokémon with a little more mass, then maybe, just maybe, I can defeat that Snorlax."

"That's a good idea, but you don't know how much better they would be against a Pokémon like Snorlax," advised Hillary.

Just then, the recovery signal rang. Tristan and Hillary rushed over to the door where Nurse Joy greeted them with Butterfree's Pokéball in her hands.

"Your Butterfree is fully rested and ready for more action, Tristan," smiled Nurse Joy.

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan as he took Butterfree's Pokéball and put it away.

"I know it's frustrating that Butterfree got squished by Snorlax's full weight," said Nurse Joy. "I'm sure you'll be able to defeat that Snorlax if you think outside the box."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Hillary.

"Most of the time, Trainers use Pokémon to match the Pokémon they have an advantage against," explained Nurse Joy. "But there are times when those Trainers will be at a disadvantage, too. For example, when you battle a Water Pokémon with a Fire Pokémon, it's quite easy to think you won't win, but if you think outside the box on what attacks to use and how to use them, you can use the type disadvantage to your advantage."

"I get it now," said Tristan. "Maybe I should use Snorlax's weight to my advantage...but how can I do that?"

"Maybe you'll think of something when you battle it again," replied Nurse Joy. "Don't give up hope."

"She's right," added Hillary. "You're at your best when you battle. Besides, we could all use a bite to eat before we do."

Just as Hillary said that, Tristan's stomach grumbled, much to Tristan's embarrassment.

"I guess I'd better eat something," said Tristan. "That Snorlax isn't the only one who gets hungry."

Tristan and Pikachu joined Hillary in the cafeteria and had a delicious meal. Sure enough, they were very hungry.

* * *

When Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived back on the pier some time later, Snorlax was fast asleep again.

"Okay, Tristan," advised Hillary, "once you wake Snorlax up, use a heavier Pokémon than Butterfree."

"I'll try and remember to do that," replied Tristan as he played the Poké Flute again.

 _(Music Cue: Poké Flute (as heard the first time in "Wake Up, Snorlax"))_

As Tristan played, Snorlax once again woke up feeling drowsy. Its eyes blinked and blinked. Then it got up and danced to the music again.

"So far, so good," whispered Hillary to Pikachu. "Snorlax likes the music."

Pikachu responded in agreement.

Tristan continued to play until the song was over.

But as the song ended, Snorlax got even grumpier than the first time it woke up.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Well, now that I got its attention, let's get a move on," said Tristan as he took out a Pokéball. "Ivysaur, go!"

Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked ready for this really big challenge.

Snorlax charged forward toward Ivysaur and used its massive body to attack.

"Here comes another Body Slam!" shouted Hillary.

"Ivysaur, move away and use your Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur got out of Snorlax's path and shot two green vines from the bud on its back. But even that attack was just as ineffective as Butterfree's Confusion attack.

"No good," grunted Tristan. "Try a Razor Leaf attack, Ivysaur!"

Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves at Snorlax, but they merely bounced off of its massive belly.

Snorlax thought it best to eat the leaves because it thought they were good appetizers.

"Well, at least there's no problem with its appetite," mumbled Hillary.

"Well, if it likes leaves, then it'll love this," said Tristan. "Ivysaur, Leech Seed!"

Ivysaur sprouted a seed from its bud, then shot it at Snorlax, who saw this as an opportunity to get more food.

Snorlax quickly caught the seed in its mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it, much to Tristan and Hillary's shock.

Tristan was complaining. "Hey, that's not fair. We can't handle Leech Seeds like you can."

Snorlax suddenly charged forward and rammed into Ivysaur with its big head, scoring a clean hit.

"Ivysaur, no!" shouted Tristan.

"Whoa, Ivysaur just got pummeled by Snorlax's Headbutt attack!" gasped Hillary.

Tristan quickly rushed to Ivysaur's side. "Are you okay, Ivysaur?" he asked.

Ivysaur gave a weak reply.

"Thanks, Ivysaur," said Tristan as he took out its Pokéball. "You deserve a rest." The Pokéball's button shot a red energy beam at Ivysaur, who was transformed into red energy itself and disappeared back inside the ball.

"Do you have any other ideas?" asked Hillary, hopefully.

"I always have other ideas, sis," replied Tristan as he took out another Pokéball. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle (as heard in "Navel Maneuvers"))_

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Don't let Snorlax's lack of speed fool you, Wartortle," advised Tristan. "It's very powerful."

Wartortle nodded its reply.

Tristan suddenly got an idea. _Lack of speed..._ he thought. _Snorlax may be powerful when it attacks, but when it comes to other movements, it should be pretty slow. And I'm sure it doesn't exercise very often._

Sure enough, Snorlax was soon breathing heavily because it was battling so hard.

"Okay, Wartortle, give it a Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle squirted a powerful stream of water at Snorlax, soaking it.

"Way to go, Wartortle!" praised Tristan. "Keep it up!"

Snorlax then charged toward Wartortle with another Body Slam.

"Jump and use another Water Gun attack!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle jumped out of the way and squirted Snorlax with another stream of water just as it crashed on the pier.

Even though Snorlax didn't seem to be affected by the water, it was still getting wet. That gave Hillary an idea.

"Quick, Tristan, use Pikachu on it!" suggested Hillary.

"What for?" wondered Tristan.

"Water conducts electricity," answered Hillary.

"Right," said Tristan. He called to Pikachu, who was standing by.

Pikachu leaped in front of Tristan and faced Snorlax.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" it shouted as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out of its body and struck a soaked Snorlax, giving it twice as much damage.

Snorlax, who was knocked out, fell on its back.

"Nice work, Pikachu," said Tristan.

Pikachu nodded happily.

"Now, it's time to catch it," said Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Pokéball, go!"

The Pokéball's button hit Snorlax, causing it to transform into red energy and disappear inside.

The Pokéball wiggled while the button flashed red. Tristan and Pikachu were waiting to see what happened. The next few seconds were pretty tense. Just as Pikachu was getting ready to attack again, the Pokéball clicked and the button stopped flashing. Snorlax had been caught.

Tristan picked up the Pokéball, raised it in the air and proclaimed, "Yes! We caught a Snorlax!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" cried Pikachu happily.

But just then, the Pokéball started glowing in a bright white light and disappeared out of Tristan's hands into thin air to Tristan's confusion.

"Hey, where's my Pokéball?!" gasped Tristan. "What happened to my Pokéball?"

"Remember, Tristan?" said Hillary. "You already have six Pokémon with you, so Snorlax was transported."

"Let's go to the Pokémon Center and talk to Professor Oak," suggested Tristan. "Maybe he knows where Snorlax is."

And so, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu rushed back to the Pokémon Center in Lavender Town as fast as they could.

* * *

"Hello, Tristan," said Professor Oak on the video phone inside the Pokémon Center. "It's certainly very nice to see you."

"It's good to see you, too, Professor Oak," replied Tristan.

"We know we've been busy, but we've been catching Pokémon and earning badges, or at least, Tristan has," added Hillary.

"By the way, Professor Oak, do you know where my Snorlax is?" asked Tristan.

"Don't worry," said Professor Oak. "It's right here-aaaaaagggh!"

Tristan and Hillary gasped as Snorlax appeared on the screen and fell on Professor Oak.

Tristan was relieved when he saw it. "Do you like Professor Oak's laboratory, Snorlax?"

"Snor!" it smiled happily.

"Would you mind if I kept Snorlax with you, Professor Oak?" asked Tristan.

Snorlax got off of the professor and he said, "I'd be happy to look after it. I'm sure that Ash's Snorlax will be more than happy to have a buddy to eat and sleep with."

"I'm sure it'll have a lot of fun there," said Tristan. "Be good for Professor Oak, Snorlax."

"Snorlax," replied Snorlax.

"Take care, kids!" said Professor Oak.

"Bye, Professor Oak," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu as the video screen turned off.

Just then, Nurse Joy came into the lobby. "Good news, Tristan," she said. "Your Ivysaur is back to tip-top shape."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

"And that's not all," continued Nurse Joy. "Now that Snorlax is no longer blocking the road to Fuchsia City, you can go there for your next Gym Battle."

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued (sample))_

"Now you can try and earn your fifth Gym Badge there," added Hillary.

"Awesome!" said Tristan. "I can hardly wait!"

* * *

 _With persistence and sheer determination, Tristan catches a Snorlax and has opened a road of opportunity for himself and the residents of Lavender Town. Now, more psyched than ever before, he and Hillary will set their sights on Fuchsia City._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	23. Chapter 23: SOME LIKE IT COLD

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 23 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues are in this chapter like these chapters, and as you may or may not know, I've also added some references from episodes in the anime where the cues took place. Some of these cues are edited while others are not. Those of you who watched the series from the beginning and listen as carefully to the music as I do probably know what they sound like, but if you have questions, feel free to ask, and I will answer them. As always, please feel free to read and review. And remember, feedback of any kind is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and his friends have finally made it to Fuschia City. But on the way, they find an injured Articuno, which is a Legendary Pokémon! What's worse, Team Rocket is after this rare and valuable Pokémon! Will Tristan and his friends stop Team Rocket and save Articuno at the same time?**

 **Chapter 23: SOME LIKE IT COLD**

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis"))_

On a very steep, snowy mountain, a Pokémon was frantically flying through a huge blizzard. It had blue plumage and wings like thin sheets of ice. Several weatherproof helicopters were flying after it despite the harsh blizzard conditions. The helicopters each had a red letter R on them and were piloted inside by Team Rocket Grunts. They were standing by, waiting for their commands from the lead pilot, who was also a Grunt.

"Begin the attack now!" he commanded on his radio.

A hatch opened on the bottom of the first helicopter, and what should drop out but a sphere-like Pokémon that was red on the bottom and white on the top.

The ball dropped onto the Pokémon, and once it did, it exploded. The flying Pokémon didn't seem to take a lot of damage.

"Attack together!" commanded the lead pilot on his radio.

Instantly, the hatches of the other helicopters opened and many more of the same sphere-like Pokémon fell from them.

The blue flying Pokémon swerved from left to right trying to avoid the falling Pokémon as they exploded, but one of them fell onto the defenseless Pokémon and exploded as it fell, and dealt it major damage, particularly to its wings. Despite that, the Pokémon was still flying.

"Launch the electric net!" commanded the lead pilot.

This time, a net was launched from the helicopter, and was aimed at the flying Pokémon. Even though it narrowly missed it, it still felt the damage from the electricity. It managed to fly away from the mountains as fast as its wings could carry it and disappeared out of sight.

"Rats!" fumed a Rocket Grunt. "We missed it!"

"Don't worry about it," replied another. "Once it lands somewhere, we'll find it and capture it once and for all."

And the Grunts, still inside the helicopters, continued to fly through the blizzard in the cold, snowy mountains.

* * *

 _Tristan and his friends are now on the outskirts of Fuschia City where Tristan hopes to earn his fifth Gym Badge. Right now, they're enjoying the view, but little do they suspect that there is an adventure they will have to think warm thoughts about._

"You can see for miles from here!" remarked Tristan as he and Hillary stood on a hilltop.

"I know!" agreed Hillary. "It sure is beautiful."

"Maybe I can get an even better view using my telescope," said Tristan as he began to look through it. Sure enough, he could see further away with it.

"Are you seeing anything good?" asked Hillary.

"Pika?" added Pikachu.

"Not yet, but I...wait!" said Tristan as he spotted a blue flying Pokémon with tiny ice crystals trailing behind it.

"What is it?" wondered Hillary.

"I see a Pokémon!" replied Tristan, who was completely awestruck by the way it flew.

Hillary saw it, too. "It's sure looking beautiful flying fast and free," remarked Hillary.

"I sure wish I could fly like that," said Tristan.

"Don't worry, Tristan," replied Hillary. "I know how you feel, and I'm sure we'll be able to fly along with Flying Pokémon in the sky. Remember, in the world of Pokémon, anything is possible."

Tristan and Hillary continued to see the blue flying Pokémon soar through the skies, but suddenly, it wings gave out and it went into a nasty nosedive, much to their horror.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Pokémon Water War"))_

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan. "That flying Pokémon's in trouble!"

"It's headed straight down!" exclaimed Hillary. "It's going to crash!"

"Come on, we've got to help!" called Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced off, hoping to make it to the Pokémon before it crashed into the ground.

* * *

The blue Pokémon was having trouble straightening out as it continued to lose altitude. It was still feeling the pain in its wings from its earlier ordeal. It, then, shut its eyes and lost consciousness.

Tristan and Hillary were still running toward the Pokémon as it hurtled toward the ground at tremendous speed.

"It's falling too fast!" exclaimed Hillary. "We aren't going to make it in time!"

"Oh, yes, we are," replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Butterfree, I choose you!"

Butterfree materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball as it flew overhead, awaiting its instructions.

"Quick, Butterfree, fly on ahead and use your Confusion on that falling Pokémon to help it land safely!" ordered Tristan.

Immediately, Butterfree flew ahead of Tristan and Hillary, who were still running as fast as they could, and rushed to the falling blue Pokémon. Butterfree's eyes and the Pokémon's outline glowed in a purple color. Butterfree strained as it held on to the blue Pokémon using its telekinetic powers. It was very heavy, indeed.

"You can do it, Butterfree! Don't give up!" encouraged Tristan.

"I don't know how much longer Butterfree can keep this up," said Hillary nervously.

"Let's just hope it can hang on long enough for the Pokémon to land safely on the ground," replied Tristan as he and Hillary continued to run.

Sweat was dropping down Butterfree's face as it continued to hold on to the blue Pokémon.

"Just a little more, Butterfree! Hang in there!" shouted Tristan as he continued to race toward the blue Pokémon's location.

Butterfree slowly landed as the blue Pokémon gently touched the ground. Butterfree collapsed from exhaustion.

Tristan and Hillary quickly rushed to Butterfree.

"Are you okay, Butterfree?" asked Tristan.

Butterfree nodded weakly.

"Butterfree used up all its energy helping the Pokémon land safely," said Hillary. "I think it needs to take a break."

"You're right," replied Tristan as he took out Butterfree's Pokéball. "You did a great job, Butterfree. You deserve a nice long rest." A red energy beam shot from the Pokéball's button and hit Butterfree, transforming it into red energy, which disappeared inside.

Tristan and Hillary were curious about the blue Pokémon that had just fallen out of the sky.

"I wonder what this is?" asked Hillary.

"Let's check it out," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Articuno: The Freeze Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"This Legendary Pokémon freezes water that is contained in winter air and makes it snow."_

"Wow," whispered Hillary in awe. "I never knew a Pokémon had the power to do that." Then she noticed the wounds on Articuno's wings and gasped. "Tristan, it looks like Articuno's been injured!"

"But how?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know, but we need to help it and fast!" replied Hillary.

"But what can we do?" wondered Tristan.

Just then, Articuno opened its eyes. It glared at Tristan and Hillary and prepared to attack, much to their surprise.

"Wait, Articuno!" cried Tristan. "You've been hurt!"

"You need to rest!" added Hillary.

Articuno was still all tensed up.

Pikachu jumped in front of Tristan and prepared to defend him as sparks sizzled from its cheeks.

"Easy, Pikachu," advised Tristan as he stopped it. "Articuno doesn't know our intentions yet."

Pikachu then stopped its electricity.

Articuno was still glaring at Tristan and Hillary.

"I wonder why it's mad at us?" wondered Hillary.

"Maybe I can talk to Articuno," said Tristan as he walked slowly toward it. "Please, Articuno, we won't hurt you. All we want to do is help you get better."

Articuno was still feeling nervous.

"We know your wings are hurt, and we may not know what caused this to happen," continued Tristan, "but we promise we will do everything we can to help you."

Articuno stared at Tristan for a few seconds, and then, it collapsed to the ground from its injuries.

"Articuno!" gasped Tristan.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "We've got to do something."

"Then we need to do it fast," said Tristan. "Hillary, I'm going to need you to go to the Fuschia City Pokémon Center and get Nurse Joy out here as fast as you can."

"What? Me?" gasped Hillary.

"You don't have any medicine on hand, but I do," said Tristan. "And we can't just leave Articuno here alone. I'll stay behind to take care of its injuries."

"Please be careful," said Hillary.

"Pikachu, I want you to go with Hillary to keep her out of danger," advised Tristan.

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu.

Tristan took out another Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeotto, I need your help!"

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It eagerly awaited its instructions.

"I need you to go with Hillary and Pikachu and see if you can help them find the Pokémon Center," said Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked happily.

Pikachu jumped onto Pidgeotto's back as it prepared to take off into the sky.

"Good idea," said Tristan to Pikachu. "With an extra set of eyes, you'll be able to help Hillary from the air, too."

"What do I do now?" asked Hillary nervously.

"Just follow Pikachu and Pidgeotto," answered Tristan. "They'll help you find the Pokémon Center."

Pikachu and Pidgeotto nodded and took off into the sky.

"We'll be back as soon as we can, Tristan!" called Hillary as she followed them.

As soon as they were out of sight, Tristan whispered, "Best of luck."

* * *

Hillary kept a close eye on Pikachu and Pidgeotto as she ran and they continued to fly overhead.

"I sure hope they know what they're doing," thought Hillary.

Just then, Pikachu pointed down to a building with a yellow letter P on it and motioned Pidgeotto to go in front of Hillary. Pidgeotto descended from the sky to guide Hillary in that direction.

"You're saying the Pokémon Center is straight ahead?" asked Hillary.

Pikachu and Pidgeotto nodded and pointed in that direction

"All right, let's go!" said Hillary as she raced after them.

A moment later, Pikachu and Pidgeotto landed on the ground and followed Hillary inside the Pokémon Center.

"Nurse Joy!" panted Hillary as she raced inside. "Please, you've got to help!"

"What's the matter?" asked Nurse Joy, who was waiting at the reception counter.

"There's an Articuno out on the road, and it's hurt!" replied Hillary.

"That's terrible!" exclaimed Nurse Joy.

"My brother, Tristan, sent me to find you so you could help," continued Hillary.

"There's no time to lose," replied Nurse Joy. "I'll grab my medical supplies and then we'll go."

Nurse Joy wasted no time getting her supplies for handling Ice Pokémon.

Hillary was getting anxious. "Come on, Nurse Joy, hurry!" whispered Hillary under her breath.

Nurse Joy was all packed a minute later. "All right, let's go in the jeep!" she advised. She turned to a Chansey, who was standing by. "Chansey, I need you to prepare the operating room for an injured Articuno. It needs to be ice-cold when we get back."

"Chansey!" replied Chansey happily as it went inside the operating room to make adjustments.

Hillary followed Nurse Joy to her jeep with medical supplies in hand as they prepared to meet Tristan and Articuno. The jeep had an ice-cold flatbed attached to it for just such an emergency.

"Do you know where Articuno is?" asked Nurse Joy to Hillary.

"Yes, I do," answered Hillary. "I'll show you the way. Pidgeotto and Pikachu will help, too."

"Hold on tight," advised Nurse Joy as she and Hillary buckled themselves in and sped off in the jeep. Pikachu and Pidgeotto followed close behind.

* * *

Tristan dug out a Super Potion from his backpack. Articuno was still on the ground, hurting.

"Hang on, Articuno," said Tristan as he aimed the nozzle at Articuno's left wing first. "This'll sting a little, but it will help your wings heal." He squirted a gentle spray from the Super Potion's nozzle.

Articuno winced in pain from the spray for a second. An instant later, the wounds on its left wing disappeared.

Next, Tristan sprayed the potion on Articuno's right wing. It winced in pain again for a second, but sure enough, the wounds on its right wing disappeared, too.

"How do you feel, Articuno?" asked Tristan.

Articuno gave a weak reply, but then, closed its eyes and fell unconscious, much to Tristan's worry.

"Articuno!" gasped Tristan. "Please, Articuno, you've got to hold on!" He put his right hand on Articuno's head. It felt very hot. "This is not good. Articuno's got a very high fever. I've got to do something before it's too late."

Presently, a car horn sounded a few yards away from where Tristan and Articuno were. It was Nurse Joy and Hillary with Pikachu and Pidgeotto close behind.

"We're here, Tristan!" called Hillary.

"Is everything okay?" called Nurse Joy as she applied the brakes in her jeep.

"I'm glad you're here, Nurse Joy," said Tristan as he sighed with relief. "Articuno's burning up big time!"

"Let's hurry and get it on the flatbed," advised Nurse Joy.

She, Hillary, and Tristan gently lifted Articuno and put it on the flatbed behind the jeep.

Tristan's hands felt very chilly after touching the ice-cold flatbed. "Brrrrrrrrr!" shivered Tristan as he quickly rubbed his hands against one another to warm them up. "Talk about getting a cold treatment. No wonder Articuno likes it ice-cold."

"Nurse Joy came well equipped for this occasion," replied Hillary.

Just then, an explosion rocked the ground where everyone was standing.

"What's going on here?!" exclaimed Hillary as she and the others covered their faces from the dust that followed.

Two people in black uniforms emerged from the dust and smiled evilly. They both had a red R on them. "Hand over that Articuno!" they demanded.

"Team Rocket!" said Tristan disgustedly. "Something seemed rotten."

"Leave Articuno alone!" shouted Hillary. "What's it ever done to you?"

"Articuno's been a real money maker since it can easily turn summer into winter with just a flap of its wings," said the first Grunt.

"It's a Legendary Pokémon, after all," added the second Grunt. "They're very hard to come by. Our Boss asked us to find one and capture it. And this one just happened to be the lucky one, or not so lucky one as the case may be."

"So kindly hand over that Articuno and we'll be on our way," finished the first Grunt.

"So it was you who was responsible for hurting Articuno!" fumed Tristan as she clenched his fist. "Do you have any idea how much pain and suffering you creeps put it through?!"

"Articuno's got a really bad fever because of you, and if we don't get it to the Pokémon Center fast, who knows what might happen?" added Hillary.

"Maybe we can persuade you to hand ovrr Articuno another way," said the second Rocket Grunt as he snapped his fingers.

At his command, more Rocket Grunts appeared and threw multiple Pokéballs.

The first bunch of Pokémon that shot out from the white lights looked like Pokéballs themselves, except that they had eyes.

"Those are Voltorb!" gasped Hillary.

"We've dealt with those things before," added Tristan as he scanned them with his Pokédex.

 _"Voltorb: The Ball Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This mysterious Pokémon uses strong Electric attacks and is primarily found in power plants. "Use extreme caution; Voltorb may explode without warning."_

"Did he s-say explode?" trembled Hillary.

The second bunch of Pokémon that materialized from the white lights that shot out of the Grunts' Pokéballs looked like reverse-colored Pokéballs, plus their eyes looked different from Voltorb's eyes.

"Those look even badder than Voltorb!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Electrode: The Ball Pokémon: The evolved form of Voltorb,"_ identified Dexter. _"Highly concentrated energy causes this Pokémon to explode unpredictably. Also known as the 'Bomb Ball.'"_

"Electrode!" smiled Electrode in a robotic voice.

"The Bomb Ball?!" gasped Tristan and Hillary together.

"Get that Articuno, boys!" said the first Rocket Grunt. "Let's play ball!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble"))_

Without hesitation, the Rocket Grunts threw the Voltorb and Electrode at Tristan and Hillary. As the Ball Pokémon landed on the ground, they exploded.

"The Voltorb and Electrode are exploding everywhere!" cried Nurse Joy. "We've got to get out of here!"

"Those guys are nuts!" exclaimed Hillary. "They just don't quit!"

"Well, this is one ball game I don't want to play," said Tristan. "Pidgeotto, blow them away with your Gust attack!"

Instantly, Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings, creating a huge gust of wind, which blew the Voltorb and Electrode back.

"That ought to do it!" said Tristan.

"Not so fast!" shouted the Rocket Grunts as they threw more Pokéballs. More Voltorb and Electrode materialized from the white lights that shot out of them.

The new Voltorb and Electrode were thrown at Tristan and Hillary and exploded near them.

"This is awful!" cried Nurse Joy.

"Those Pokémon are exploding on all cylinders!" added Hillary.

"Pidgeotto, give them another Gust attack!" ordered Tristan.

Once again, Pidgeotto flapped its wings furiously, creating a gust of wind from them. The second batch of Voltorb and Electrode were blown away, but several fresh ones appeared in their place.

"It's no good!" grunted Tristan. "No matter how many of these Pokémon we get rid of, just as many new ones take their place!"

Nurse Joy put her hand on Articuno's head and noticed that it was getting even hotter. The ice on the flatbed was starting to melt. "Articuno's fever is getting hotter than it was before!" she gasped. "If it keeps rising, its life could be in danger!"

"Hey, Tristan!" shouted Hillary. "Articuno's getting worse! Let's get out of here!"

"Right! Charmeleon, Smokescreen attack!" ordered Tristan as he threw Charmeleon's Pokéball.

Charmeleon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and immediately shot a black cloud of smoke from its mouth at the Rocket Grunts.

The Grunts coughed as they tried to catch their breath.

"I can't see!" exclaimed one Grunt.

"I'll find them!" replied another Grunt.

Unfortunately, because he couldn't see through the thick smoke, he accidentally stepped on a nearby Electrode, causing it to explode. That explosion caused all the other Voltorb and Electrode to explode in a wild chain reaction. The Rocket Grunts were caught in all the explosions.

When the dust from the explosions cleared, the dazed Grunts saw that the children, Nurse Joy, and Articuno were gone. The Grunts who initiated the attack were very angry with the Grunt who stepped on the Electrode.

"You blithering idiot!" they screamed. "You let that Articuno get away!"

"I couldn't see! What can I say?" protested the other Grunt.

Then, the three Grunts collapsed with the others and fell into a gigantic heap.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Calm After the Storm)_

At the Pokémon Center, Tristan and the others wasted no time getting Articuno in the operating room. Sure enough, it was ice-cold, which was just perfect for Articuno. Nurse Joy and Chansey had to wear their heavy winter coats to keep warm while treating it.

Tristan and Hillary exchanged information.

"While you were away, sis, I used some Super Potion to help its wings heal," said Tristan. "Just as I was getting ready to bandage it up, that was when I saw it burning up. Unfortunately, I didn't have any ice on hand to make an ice pack. I was glad you showed up when you did."

"You did everything you could, Tristan," said Hillary. "Nurse Joy would have said the exact same thing."

"But now what do we do?" asked Tristan.

""I think the rest is up to her now," replied Hillary.

They both looked through the window of the operating room where Nurse Joy and Chansey were working as fast as they could to get Articuno's fever stabilized.

"Hang in there, Articuno," whispered Tristan. "I promise you're going to be okay."

"I know you're worried, Tristan, but maybe Professor Oak knows a thing or two about Articuno," suggested Hillary. "Let's talk with him while we wait. Besides, it'll help take your mind off of things for awhile.

Tristan agreed to the idea.

* * *

"What's that? You encountered the Legandary Pokémon Articuno?" asked Professor Oak on the video phone.

"Yes, we did, Professor Oak," replied Hillary. "It apparently was injured after avoiding capture by Team Rocket."

"Then we saw it develop a high fever," added Tristan.

"We decided to put it on an ice-cold flatbed and took it here to the Pokémon Center," finished Hillary.

"Very interesting," remarked Professor Oak.

"Why is Articuno considered a Legendary Pokémon, Professor?" asked Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

"Legendary Pokémon, like Articuno, are very rare and very valuable Pokémon," explained Professor Oak. "They are prominently featured in legends and myths of the Pokémon World."

Tristan and Hillary listened in amazement.

"Most of these Pokémon are very hard to come by," continued Professor Oak, "but sightings of these creatures is not unheard of."

"Hey, Tristan, do you think that's the reason why Team Rocket tried to capture Articuno?" whispered Hillary.

"It's sure possible," replied Tristan. "And if what Professor Oak said about Articuno is true, I'm sure Team Rocket will still be after it."

"You two saved its life by keeping its body as cool as possible," said Professor Oak. "That was just the right thing to do."

"I just can't bear to think what would happen if Legendary Pokémon fell under human control," said Tristan nervously. "Those Pokémon would never be happy being cooped up in Pokéballs all the time. Even I wouldn't want to catch them if they didn't want it."

"I wouldn't worry, Tristan," assured Professor Oak.

"Why not, Professor?" asked Trisran.

"Because you're absolutely right," answered Professor Oak. "Legandary Pokémon, like Articuno, have lives of their own, and need to be free as birds, so to speak."

"You see, Tristan," said Hillary, "Professor Oak totally understands your feelings. And so do I."

Tristan felt better after that.

"I'll let you two get back to taking care of that Articuno for now," said Professor Oak. "Bye for now!"

"Bye, Professor Oak," said Tristan and Hillary together as the video screen turned off.

Presently, Nurse Joy came out of the operating room. "Brrrrrrrrr!" she shivered as she quickly rubbed her hands against one another to try and warm them up.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu rushed over from the video phone to her.

"Nurse Joy, how's Articuno?" asked Tristan hopefully.

"Articuno's stable, but it will need a lot of rest," advised Nurse Joy.

"That's good news," said Hillary.

"The Super Potion really helped in healing its injuries," added Nurse Joy. "So its wings should be healing very soon."

"See, Tristan?" said Hillary. "You did the right thing by using that Super Potion."

"I guess that's true," replied Tristan. "I just wonder how Articuno feels about humans, especially after the rough experience it had to go through."

"It's hard to say for sure," said Hillary. "Anyway, it's almost time for dinner. Feel free to join us soon."

"Okay," replied Tristan. He paused to look through the glass at Articuno, who was sleeping. Then, he followed Hillary to the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

* * *

Tristan and Pikachu kept a close vigil on Articuno as night fell. They were hoping Articuno would be back to full strength soon. They fell asleep on the waiting bench after looking for such a long time.

The next day, they watched Articuno, who was still sleeping in the freezing operating room. As the hours rolled by, they kept watching to see what would happen.

Hillary was amazed. "I can't believe it," she whispered to herself. "Tristan's been watching Articuno around the clock." She then left the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Tristan and Pikachu were dozing off in the waiting room as Articuno continued to recover nicely.

Suddenly, the ceiling in the operating room collapsed as a net scooped up Articuno, who screeched loudly.

 _(Music Cue: Real and Copy: Which are the Strongest? (as heard in "Pikachu Re-Volts"))_

Tristan and Pikachu woke up instantly.

"Articuno!" cried Tristan.

Just then, Hillary and Nurse Joy burst in.

"What's going on?" asked Nurse Joy.

"Articuno just got scooped up in a net!" answered Tristan.

"I'll bet that's Team Rocket!" fumed Hillary.

They all dashed outside the Pokémon Center and saw a huge net being lifted into the air with Articuno trapped inside.

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded Tristan.

Then, Tristan and the others heard cackling from the helicopters' loudspeakers.

"Articuno's ours!" the voice cackled. "It's now the property of Team Rocket!"

"Let Articuno go!" shouted Hillary. "It doesn't belong to you!"

"Oh, please!" begged Nurse Joy. "Articuno's really sick and weak! You have to put it down right away!"

"Sorry, but we only take doctors' orders," replied the Rocket Grunts. "Articuno's going to the Boss because that's just what the doctor ordered!" And the helicopters started racing away.

"I choose you...Ivysaur!" shouted Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it.

Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Use your Razor Leaf on that net and hurry!" ordered Tristan.

A flurry of razor sharp leaves shot out from the bud on Ivysaur's back, but the leaves only bounced off the net.

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary. "Razor Leaf didn't cut it!"

"All right, then," said Tristan. "It's time for Plan B." And he ran after the helicopter. "Don't worry, Articuno, I'll save you!"

Articuno watched as Tristan continued to run after it.

He continued running until he came to the edge of a cliff. He noticed that he was in jumping distance of the net. "Here I come!" he cried as he made a huge leap toward it.

Nurse Joy and Hillary gasped in surprise at Tristan's jump.

Tristan grabbed on to the net and held on tight, despite the helicopter climbing higher and faster. "Hang on, Articuno, I'll get you out of this thing somehow," he said.

Articuno was seeing how much Tristan cared about it and was awestruck at how far he was willing to go to save it.

"What's that kid doing? He doesn't belong on this ride!" fumed the lead pilot, who was a Rocket Grunt.

"Let's shake him off!" added the second Rocket Grunt.

The helicopters swerved from side to side in an attempt to force Tristan to let go, but he hung on to the net for all it was worth.

Hillary and Nurse Joy were getting very concerned for Tristan's safety.

"Tristan, don't give up!" yelled Hillary.

"Be careful!" cried Nurse Joy.

The Rockets saw Tristan desperately holding on to the net, and attempting to untie the rope that held it.

"That's it! I've had enough!" fumed the Rocket Grunt. He opened the hatch below the helicopter and tossed a Pokéball.

The Pokéball opened and a Voltorb materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan gasped as Voltorb appeared behind him.

"Voltorb, electrify that pest!" commanded the Grunt.

Voltorb zapped Tristan with a yellow bolt of electricity. His grip slackened with every second because of it.

Hillary and Nurse Joy were getting scared and angry at the senseless act.

"Stop that!" shouted Hillary.

Voltorb continued to shock Tristan with its Electric attacks. Then, it tackled him with such force that he completely lost his grip on the net, and began to fall at high speed.

Hillary, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy watched helplessly.

"Oh, no!" cried Nurse Joy.

"Tristan!" yelled Hillary at the top of her lungs.

Articuno was horrified at seeing Tristan fall. It began to rock the helicopters violently.

One Rocket Grunt was watching the whole thing unfold. "I think it's mad!" he cried.

Articuno continued to wiggle inside the net. Then, as it saw Tristan fall closer to the ground, Articuno, out of rage at how the Rocket Grunts knocked him off, launched a beam of cold energy from its beak toward the rope and broke it into pieces, freeing it from Team Rocket's grip. Not only that, thanks to that attack, the blades of the helicopters were frozen solid, causing the engines to fail.

Hillary, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy were shocked in amazement.

"What was that?" gasped Hillary.

"That was a powerful Ice Beam!" replied Nurse Joy.

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1997-1998 (as heard in "Misty Meets Her Match"))_

Articuno dove after Tristan to catch up to his descent. After carefully flying below him, it managed to catch him safely on its back.

"That was great!" remarked Nurse Joy.

"Articuno just saved Tristan's life after he worked so hard to save it!" added Hillary.

Articuno flew away from the helicopters as they fell towards the ground.

"Wow, Articuno," said Tristan. "Thanks a lot."

Articuno nodded as it continued to fly toward Nurse Joy and Hillary.

As for the Rocket Grunts, they had their own problems with the frozen blades.

"Our blades are stuck!" one Grunt cried. "We've completely lost control!"

All the Rockets braced themselves as the helicopters crashed on the ground.

Articuno landed safely on the ground, allowing Tristan to dismount. Hillary, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy were greatly relieved to see them safe and sound.

"Are you okay, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I'm fine now, thanks to Articuno," answered Tristan.

Articuno agreed with him.

The Rocket Grunts crawled out of the wreckage and prepared to counterattack. "Give us that Articuno this instant!" they demanded as they charged forward.

"You're not taking anything!" countered Tristan. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt'em!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its body at the Rocket Grunts. They all screamed as they got zapped.

Articuno then fired another Ice Beam from its beak at the Rocket Grunts. The icy beam struck them directly, freezing them solid.

"That was awesome, Articuno!" commended Hillary.

"Yeah, that was the coolest Ice Beam attack I've ever seen!" added Tristan.

Articuno nodded happily at the two remarks.

"I'll contact Officer Jenny right away," said Nurse Joy.

As she made the call, Hillary said. "Talk about giving those guys the cold shoulder."

"And frozen assets," added Tristan.

Everyone laughed at the back to back jokes, including Articuno, who stood proudly with its friends before its fallen adversaries.

* * *

A short time later, Officer Jenny came and arrested the Rocket Grunts, who were all put in a patrol wagon.

"Thanks to you, we were able to capture those thugs with no problem," said Officer Jenny to Tristan and Hillary.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan, "but Articuno deserves most of the credit."

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "If Articuno hadn't come along and saved Tristan the way it did, we'd still have our hands full trying to defeat those crooks."

"I guess that's true, too," said Officer Jenny. She turned to Articuno. "They don't call you a legend for nothing, Articuno, so I salute your hard work."

Articuno chirped happily. Then, it flapped its wings and began to take off into the sky.

Tristan, then, felt sad as it rose into the air.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Hillary as she walked up to him.

"It's just that..." he paused for a second. "I didn't get a chance to let Articuno know how we feel about Pokémon. And now, I don't think I'm ever going to see it again."

"You can let it know before it flies away," encouraged Hillary. "Go on. I'm sure it's eagerly wanting to know."

Sure enough, Articuno stayed where it was in the sky, as if it was waiting for something.

Tristan quickly ran toward Articuno and called out, "Articuno!"

Articuno looked at him with trusting eyes.

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

"I just wanted to let you know that Hillary and I love Pokémon," he said. "And we always want to be friends with them. We'd really like it if you could be friends with us, too."

Articuno thought hard about what Tristan just said, and then it nodded.

"Does that mean we're friends?" asked Tristan hopefully.

Articuno nodded again.

"Oh, thank you, Articuno," he said. Then, tears streamed down his face as he called out, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

A single tear fell from Articuno's left eye. It chirped and then departed as it flew over the horizon into the sunset.

Hillary then walked up to Tristan. "You weren't thinking of catching it, were you?" she asked.

Tristan shook his head. "Articuno needs to be a free Pokémon. I don't think it wants to be caught. Besides, if Articuno's happy, then I am, too."

Nurse Joy walked up to Tristan and she said, "It sounds to me like you were putting Articuno's needs ahead of your own. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

Just then, a rainbow-colored Pokémon flew overhead as a rainbow appeared in the sky.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he tried to scan the flying Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Pokémon unknown. No available data."_

"No data?" asked Tristan. He was clearly surprised.

"I guess there are still Pokémon yet to be discovered," added Hillary.

"You're right," replied Tristan. "Besides, I have a Gym Battle coming up, and I'm looking forward to earning Badge number five!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

 _Thanks to Tristan and his friends, a Team Rocket scheme has been foiled, and the legendary Articuno is flying free as a bird. Now, Tristan is eagerly awaiting his chance to battle for his fifth Badge in the Fuschia City Gym._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	24. Chapter 24: PASSING THE NINJA TORCH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 24 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Koga and his daughter, Janine, make an appearance in this chapter, as well as Aya from the anime. You'll get a chance to find out why Janine becomes the Gym Leader in this chapter and why Koga is in the Elite Four three years between the Generation One games (Red, Blue, and Yellow) and the Generation Two games (Gold, Silver, and Crystal). Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and arrangements from the games are in this chapter, also. As always, please feel free to read and review, plus feedback of any kind is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is eager to challenge Koga, but he and Hillary will have to get through some obstacles to find him and the Fuschia Gym. Plus, Koga's daughter,Janine, will also need some training in the form of ninja arts. Can she succeed and follow in her father's footsteps?**

 **Chapter 24: PASSING THE NINJA TORCH**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 The Road to Viridian City (M20A (as heard in "The School of Hard Knocks")))_

 _Tristan and his friends are now in Fuschia City, eager to take on the next Gym, but for now, they're at a loss for words as to where the Gym actually is!_

"Are you sure the Gym is somewhere in this city, Tristan?" asked Hillary impatiently as she walked along.

"I'm sure it was here someplace," replied Tristan. "Pokémon Gyms don't just disappear."

"Maybe this one does?" asked Hillary. She seemed uncertain.

"Why don't we turn around?" suggested Tristan. "We can retrace our steps and see if we can find the Gym."

"It's worth a shot," replied Hillary. "Let's go."

Pikachu, riding on Tristan's shoulder, agreed with them as they walked back outside the city limits, hoping to find the Gym.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Sneaking From the Shadows)_

A little while later, Tristan and Hillary found themselves in a forest outside the main city.

"This doesn't look right, Tristan," said Hillary, uneasily. "Are you sure turning around was the right idea?"

"I thought it was," answered Tristan, "but I'm not sure now."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" trembled Hillary anxiously.

"Yep. We're lost," replied Tristan calmly.

"Oh, no!" cringed Hillary. "We may have to eat bugs and worms for the rest of our pathetic lives!"

"Hillary, take it easy, will ya?" implored Tristan. "We'll find the Gym, okay? All we have to do is look around and listen."

They continued walking for what seemed like forever until they came across a huge old house in the middle of the woods.

"I wonder who would live here?" wondered Hillary.

"Maybe someone inside can help us find the Gym," said Tristan. "Let's go see."

"I hope you're right this time," said Hillary as she followed him inside the mansion.

Tristan slowly opened the creaking door to an empty hallway. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone there?"

"Can you help us?" added Hillary. "We're trying to find the Fuschia Gym."

But there was no answer.

"Well, the lights are on..." said Tristan.

"But there's no one home," added Hillary.

"Let's just take a look around, anyway," suggested Tristan.

He and Hillary walked through the hallway, hardly making a sound. They didn't know that someone or something was lying in wait for them.

"I haven't heard anything since we got inside," remarked Hillary. "It seems a little too quiet for my taste."

"Maybe," replied Tristan as he leaned against a wall. "But maybe there's someone who can...WHAAAAAAAH!" A wall had opened up where Tristan was leaning and he fell right through it. The wall, then, closed behind him to Hillary and Pikachu's surprise.

"Tristan!" gasped Hillary. "Where are you? Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, but I can't see you!" answered Tristan on the other side of the wall.

"It must be one of those...WHOOOAAAAGH!" Hillary leaned against the wall, and sure enough, the wall opened up and she fell right through to the other side where Tristan was.

"Oh, there you are," said Tristan.

"Where else would I be?" replied Hillary.

"Come on, let's keep searching," suggested Tristan.

He and Hillary commenced looking around for someone who could help them find the Fuschia City Gym, little realizing that they were already there. And if that weren't challenging enough, they were being watched by a pair of big red eyes.

"Why did we fall through that wall, anyway?" complained Hillary. "That was one of the silliest things we've ever done. I like being silly sometimes, but that was way too silly.

"I know, but it's an adventure," replied Tristan. "What could possibly happen?"

Just as he said that, Tristan banged his face hard on something he didn't see coming. He held his face and moaned in pain.

Hillary quickly ran to him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Ow, my face!" groaned Tristan. "What happened here?"

Hillary carefully inched forward and gently touched that same thing that hit Tristan's face. She saw that it was made of glass. "It looks like an invisible wall," she said.

"An invisible wall?" repeated Tristan.

"Let's try going another way," suggested Hillary.

Tristan agreed with the idea, but didn't see another invisible wall hit him in the face again. He held it as he groaned in pain again.

"It's another invisible wall!" gasped Hillary. She saw that both directions were blocked. "We're boxed in!"

"It looks like we fell into someone's booby trap!" grunted Tristan.

"But who would do that?" asked Hillary.

Presently, a purple furry round Pokémon with red eyes and two white antennae appeared from around the corner, and stopped in front of them.

"Who's that Pokémon?" wondered Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Venonat: The Insect Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its large eyes act as radar. In a bright place, its eyes can be seen as clusters of tiny eyes."_

Hillary went closer to Venonat and took a better look. "How about that!" she said. "Several eyes in a pair of eyes! No wonder Venonat can see so well."

"Do you think this Venonat was responsible for these booby traps?" asked Tristan.

"I don't think it's smart enough to pull off something like this," answered Hillary.

Suddenly, Venonat scampered off.

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "The Song of Jigglypuff"))_

"Wait, Venonat, come back!" called Tristan as he dashed after it.

"Tristan, wait for us!" called Hillary as she and Pikachu raced after him.

Venonat raced around corner after corner to try and outrun Tristan and Hillary, but they kept on its tail.

"I wonder where that Venonat is taking us?" asked Hillary.

"Let's just hope it'll take us to someone who can help us find the Fuschia City Gym," replied Tristan.

Tristan and Hillary raced on and on, hoping to catch it, but suddenly, found themselves surrounded by flying shurikens. They stopped dead in their tracks.

"What's going on, here?" demanded Tristan.

Just then, laughter was heard in the distance. A green-haired woman in a pink ninja robe appeared in front of them. "It looks like you fell for it big time. How did you like my 'star' treatment?"

"What's the big idea of throwing these things at us?" asked Hillary.

"You could have hurt somebody with those!" added Tristan.

"Venonat told me that two kids and a Pikachu entered this building, so it alerted me and I set up those traps," explained the woman.

"So it was you who set up the invisible walls and the revolving door, too!" said Hillary. "I really didn't like getting dizzy, you know."

"Sorry about that," said the woman. "I was teaching someone how to use these traps effectively."

"Aunt Aya!" shouted a voice from the distance.

"Who's that?" wondered Tristan.

A purple spike-haired lady showed up from around the corner.

"That's Janine, my niece," explained the woman. "And I'm Aya."

"Hi, my name's Tristan," said Tristan, introducing himself. "This is my sister, Hillary, and my best friend, Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

"It's nice to meet you all," replied Aya.

"Did you get those two guests, Aunt Aya? Huh? Huh? Huh?" asked Janine.

"Yes, Janine, they fell for it, hook, line, and sinker," laughed Aya.

"We were wondering if you could tell us where the Fuschia City Gym is," said Hillary.

"I want to compete for a Gym Badge there so that I'll be one step closer to entering the Pokémon League," explained Tristan as he showed his first four Badges to Aya.

"Wow, Tristan, that's impressive," smiled Aya. "Well, it just so happens that you're in the Fuschia Gym right now."

Tristan and Hillary were shocked. "This place is the Fuschia Gym?!"

"That's right," replied Aya. "And my older brother, Koga, is the Gym Leader...but there's a chance he won't be for long."

"Why not?" asked Hillary. "Without a Gym Leader to run the Gym, who's going to take over?"

"I'll tell you what's going on," said Aya. "It all started a few weeks ago..."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Reunion)_

"Koga was looking in the Help Wanted section of his daily newspaper when he saw that there was a possible opening for a spot in the Elite Four," she explained.

"The Elite Four?" asked Tristan. "Who are they?"

"They're a group of four powerful Trainers who are much tougher than Gym Leaders," answered Aya. "And they are always pushing the abilities of Trainers way beyond the limit. Anyway, he applied for the position and stopped by the Indigo Plateau to show off his skills against other members of the Elite Four, including Lorelei, who uses Ice Pokémon; Bruno, who uses Fighting Pokémon; and Agatha, who uses a combination of Ghost and Poison Pokémon. Lance is the Champion of the Elite Four, and he uses rare and powerful Dragon Pokémon."

* * *

"Wow," said Tristan. "I sure would like to face them in battle someday.

"Well, you just may get that chance," replied Aya, "IF you defeat the Gym Leaders and win the regional Pokémon League Tournament first."

"And is that also held at the Indigo Plateau?" asked Tristan.

"Yes, it is," answered Aya. "Koga's been using his spare time to teach Janine the tips and tricks of being an effective ninja while he moves his supplies out of here."

Just then, mutliple Pokémon shaped like Pokéballs rolled in, and electricity was sizzling in their bodies.

"Those look like Voltorb!" exclaimed Hillary.

"And they look mad!" added Tristan.

In the distance, Janine snickered from around the corner.

"What do we do, sis?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know. You think of something!" replied Hillary, who was in a panic.

"Janine!" said Aya warningly.

"Yes, Aunt Aya?" replied Janine innocently as she stepped out of her hiding place.

"Did you use the Voltorb to sneak up on us again?" asked Aya.

"Again?" asked Hillary. "Does this happen often?"

"Unfortunately, yes," answered Aya. She turned to the Voltorb and said, "You can stop now, Voltorb."

The Voltorb's electricity stopped sizzling, and they rolled away.

"Janine always likes to play with the Voltorb," explained Aya. "She even goes as far as to tell them to play practical jokes on other people."

"And they get scared out of their wits!" laughed Janine. "That's the best part!"

"You know you shouldn't be playing with your father's Voltorb like that," scolded Aya. "If the Voltorb Self-Destruct in your vicinity, you could lose your status as Gym Leader before you even start!"

Janine, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all gasped at the revelation.

"You mean Janine could soon be the next Gym Leader?!" exclaimed Tristan.

Aya smiled and said, "You got it."

"But what about Koga?" asked Hillary.

"Oh, Koga's still the Gym Leader," replied Aya. "You'll get a chance to face him. He'll be home soon."

"I'm home!" announced a voice. It was Koga, the Fuschia City Gym Leader. He wore a blue ninja robe with a red kerchief around his neck. He had short, spiky blue-green hair. "And I see we've got company."

"Hi, there. You must be Koga. I'm Tristan, and I'm from New Bark Town in the Johto region," said Tristan. "I want to challenge you for a Gym Badge here at the Fuschia Gym.

"Interesting," said Koga. "Very well, then. I accept your challenge, young man."

"Where did you go this time, honored brother?" asked Aya curiously.

"I went to do some special training near the Indigo Plateau, Aya," answered Koga. He turned to Janine, who was acting kind of guilty. "Did you play with the Voltorb again, young lady?"

Janine sheepishly turned to his father and replied, "Yes, I did."

Koga sighed. "Those Voltorb are very dangerous, young lady. You could have gotten seriously hurt if you weren't careful."

"But I was careful, Daddy!" protested Janine. "The Voltorb didn't explode near me at all!"

Koga paused for a minute. "It's obvious to me that you need training in order to be an effective Gym Leader." He turned to Tristan. "Young man, would you care to demonstrate some of your techniques in a Pokémon battle against my daughter?"

"Count me in," replied Tristan happily. He always looked forward to a new challenge, especially when it came to battling, and he thought this battle would be a great warm-up for his Gym battle against Koga.

"If you like, master Koga, I can judge the match," suggested Aya.

Koga nodded. "That's an excellent idea. Everyone, follow me out to the courtyard out back."

* * *

It didn't take long for everyone to get situated outside. Tristan and Hillary took their places on opposite sides of the battlefield.

"This Pokémon battle between Tristan from New Bark Town and Janine, the possible future Gym Leader, is about to begin!" announced Aya. "This will be a one-on-one battle with no substitutions."

"Weezing, go!" shouted Janine as she threw her Pokéball.

A purple Poison Pokémon with two spheres connected together emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, Weezing is the Pokémon that's up now, huh?" said Hillary. "It could be trouble, seeing as how this Weezing looks much stronger than James's Weezing from Team Rocket.

"That's just fine with me," replied Tristan. He turned to Pikachu, who was standing by. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" answered Pikachu as it jumped in front of Tristan, ready to battle Weezing.

"Begin!" called Aya as she raised both arms in the air.

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

"Pikachu, use your Quick Attack!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu charged toward Weezing with a white line trailing behind it.

"Quick, Weezing, Smog attack!" commanded Janine.

Weezing unleashed a green cloud of smoke from its two mouths.

Pikachu covered its eyes, leaving it at a standstill.

"Weezing, use your Tackle attack while it's blinded!" ordered Janine.

Weezing charged toward Pikachu through the Smog. It successfully scored a hit on it, sending it flying.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu crashed on the ground, but got back up on its feet.

"That Weezing's been raised well," remarked Hillary.

"Yes, but as impressive as she is, Janine still has a long way to go," replied Koga. "We'll see what Tristan has up his sleeve next."

"Ha!" laughed Janine. "If this attack easily caught you by surprise, you'll never be ready to face my father in battle."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Janine," said Tristan. "This battle's not over yet." Then, he thought to himself, _If Janine and Weezing release another cloud of smoke, then I may use it to my advantage, and then I'll show her some ninja techniques of my own._

"Weezing, use your Toxic attack!" commanded Janine.

Weezing released another cloud of green smoke from its mouth at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Double Team!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu quickly moved around and made illusory copies of itself, confusing Weezing and Janine as it disappeared.

"Oh, no," she said as she frantically looked around. "Now I can't tell which one's the real Pikachu!"

"Quick Attack now!" ordered Tristan, much to Janine's surprise.

Pikachu and the copies rushed toward Weezing at an incredible rate of speed with white lines trailing behind them.

Weezing was trying to see where Pikachu's attack would come from so it could dodge, but its reaction time was too slow, for Pikachu slammed into it from a different angle, scoring a clean hit in the process.

"Quick, Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" shouted Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as it shot a yellow bolt of electricity at Weezing.

Weezing got struck by Thunderbolt, causing it to collapse.

"Weezing, are you okay?" asked Janine.

Weezing struggled to levitate back up, but the damage that it took was too much to take as it fainted, much to Janine's shock.

"Weezing is unable to battle...Pikachu wins and the victor is Tristan!" declared Aya as she raised her left arm.

"Way to go, buddy!" said Tristan to Pikachu.

Pikachu thanked Tristan for the kind words.

Koga walked to Janine and said, "You did well battling Tristan and Pikachu, but as far as I'm concerned, they did even better."

"Why, Daddy?" asked Janine.

"Because, Janine," answered Koga, "a ninja needs to be quick on their feet and disappear like one. Foes need to be confused in order for the best ninja techniques to work. Then, they will need to strike hard and fast without warning. Perhaps, if you hadn't been overconfident in your abilities, you would have done the same thing. But instead, when you used your Toxic attack, Tristan took advantage of the situation by using Pikachu's Double Team to confuse you. Then he struck hard and fast without letting up."

"But why, Daddy?" asked Janine.

"Because Tristan thought like a ninja while you did not," replied Koga sternly.

Janine gasped at the reply.

"And if you don't start thinking like a ninja, you'll never be a good Leader at this Gym!" he continued.

Janine was so stunned by those words that she almost felt like crying. But she knew that her father was right. "I think I know what you're talking about, Daddy," she said at last. "I was so excited at how frustrated my foes were that I had forgotten what it means to be a true ninja." She slowly walked over to her Weezing and said, "Oh, Weezing, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking as well as Tristan was, let alone a real ninja. Would you be willing to give me another chance?"

Weezing nodded happily.

"Oh, thank you, Weezing!" said Janine as she hugged it tight. "I won't let you down again."

"Well, it sounds like Janine gets it now, right, master Koga?" said Aya.

"I'd say so, Aya," replied Koga. He then turned to Tristan. "Would you mind helping Janine with her training, young man?"

"I'd be happy to help her," smiled Tristan, "but I'm not sure if I'm as much of an expert on being a ninja as you say I am."

"Just demonstrate how you won your battle using the same techniques Janine experienced," explained Koga, "and you will teach Janine everything in no time."

"I'll help, too, Tristan," added Aya.

"So will I," finished Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with all of them.

"I have spare ninja uniforms for you kids to try," said Koga.

* * *

A little while later, Tristan and Hillary changed into ninja uniforms. They both fit perfectly.

"Wow," said Tristan. "I never thought I'd be able to experience what a ninja can do in this thing."

"Nor did I," added Hillary.

"You both look like real ninjas now," remarked Koga.

"Thanks, Koga," replied Tristan.

"Are you all ready to get started?" asked Aya.

"I'm ready, Aunt Aya!" answered Janine.

"We are, too," added Tristan and Hillary.

"All right, then let's do it," said Koga. "Who wants to be my first volunteer?"

"I'll go first, Koga," said Tristan.

"Very well, young man," said Koga. "For the first exercise, I need you to start by having your Pikachu's Double Team attack in action."

 _(Music Cue: Get Pokémon)_

"Right," replied Tristan. He turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, try your Double Team."

Pikachu instantly made illusory copies of itself at incredible speed.

"Are you paying attention, Janine?" asked Koga.

"Yes, Daddy," answered Janine. She was awestruck at how fast Pikachu was going.

"Now let's make it more interesting by having Quick Attack in action," suggested Koga.

"All right, Pikachu, speed it up with Quick Attack!" instructed Tristan.

All the Pikachu copies ran in different directions, each with a white line trailing behind it.

"Now, let's see if you can find the real Pikachu," said Koga. "Close your eyes and focus as hard as you can."

Tristan closed his eyes and listened hard for the real Pikachu. It certainly wasn't easy, especially with many Pikachu voices going in and out of his head.

"You'll need to be quick when you find it," advised Koga.

Tristan kept very still and continued to concentrate. Just then, he heard the voice of the real Pikachu coming at him from behind. He quickly turned around and blocked it using its hands, but soon after, he was sent flying backward into the ground.

Hillary was worried. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Tristan got to his feet. "I'm fine," he answered.

"Exemplary work, young man," remarked Koga.

"Thanks a lot, Koga," replied Tristan. "I guess that's what they mean by taking a challenge head on."

Everyone laughed, including Janine.

Koga turned to Hillary. "It's your turn, miss," he said.

"I'm ready, Koga," replied Hillary.

"This time, we'll use a log, a net, and another spare uniform for 'capture the ninja,'" said Koga. "And Janine, I will need your help, too."

"I'm ready, Daddy," replied Janine as she threw a Pokéball. "Go, Zubat!"

A blue bat-like Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Miss, I need you to stand over there," Koga said to Hillary.

"What for?" wondered Hillary.

"Janine will have her Zubat use a Haze attack," explained Koga. "You will then disappear and put the log in the exact same spot you were at. Janine will use the net to try and catch you."

"Understood, Koga," replied Hillary.

"Is everyone ready?" asked Koga.

"Ready!" replied Hillary and Janine together.

"Begin!" called Koga.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good Quil Hunting"))_

"Zubat, Haze attack!" commanded Janine.

A thick cloud of black smoke shot out of Zubat's mouth, covering everything in it.

Janine focused her concentration on where Hillary would be. When she was ready, she took aim, and dashed in the cloud with net in hand to try and catch Hillary in it.

When the cloud cleared up, Janine stood proudly as she held the net over Hillary's head, or so she thought. "I did it, Daddy!" called Janine. "I caught Hillary, and she didn't see me coming!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Janine," said a voice.

Behind Janine stood another Hillary.

"WHAT?!" gasped Janine. "Where did she come from?!" Then, she saw that she had captured the log where Hillary was standing before.

"Excellent work, miss," Koga said to Hillary.

"Thank you very much, Koga," replied Hillary.

"Now, let's try another technique," suggested Koga. "Who'd like to volunteer?"

"Wait!" called Janine. "I want to try a technique next."

Everyone was shocked, including Koga. "Are you sure you're ready, Janine?" he asked.

"I'm sure," answered Janine. "I've been paying attention to the exercises we just did. I realize that the movements of a ninja have to be swift and precise. And I also know that I can't underestimate my opponents while staying on guard. So, Daddy, may I please try one with you?"

Koga thought long and hard. Then he said, "You seem ready enough. Do you think you can handle a ninja style Pokémon battle? This will be a test to see if you are actually ready to take over the duties as Gym Leader when I leave."

Now it was Janine's turn to think long and hard. At last, she said, "It's a deal, Daddy."

* * *

It didn't take long for Janine and Koga to get situated on opposite sides of the battlefield out back. Everyone else watched from the bench.

"Do you think Janine will be okay, Aya?" asked Tristan.

"If she battles hard and remembers the techniques she saw you perform, I'm sure she'll be fine," replied Aya.

"I choose Golbat!" shouted Koga as he threw a Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

A bat-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked just like Zubat, but it had a gaping mouth, four fangs, larger wings, and a pair of eyes.

"I wonder what that is?" said Tristan as he scanned Golbat with his Pokédex.

 _"Golbat: The Bat Pokémon: The evoloved form of Zubat,"_ identified Dexter. _"Golbat attacks in a stealthy manner without warning. Its sharp fangs can drain 400 cubic centimeters of blood per bite."_

"Wow, that's almost too scary to think about," said Hillary.

"I'll go with Weezing!" called Janine as she threw her Pokéball.

Weezing materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Let's begin right way," said Koga. "Golbat, use your Screech attack!"

Golbat opened its mouth wider and it emitted a piercing noise from its mouth as thin circles shot out of it.

Everyone had to cover that ears in pain, even Janine.

"What is that sound?!" bellowed Hillary.

"That Screech is very powerful!" added Aya.

"I know that Koga's Golbat is strong, but I never realized how strong!" finished Tristan.

Koga just stood there as if nothing was happening.

Janine had to think of something. "Quick, Weezing, use your Smog attack!" ordered Janine.

Weezing shot a green cloud of smoke from its mouth.

Golbat was enveloped inside it, making it unable to see.

"Quick, Golbat, blow the Smog away!" ordered Koga.

Golbat furiously flapped its wings, instantly blowing the Smog away.

However, Koga and Golbat noticed that Weezing had disappeared.

"That's weird," said Koga. "Now where did Weezing go?"

"Tackle attack!" ordered Janine.

Weezing descended down from the sky towards Golbat at high speed, and it scored a clean hit, much to its surprise.

"Hmmmm," smiled Koga. "Not bad at all, Janine. Not bad at all."

"Don't let up, Weezing! Use back to back Tackle attacks!" yelled Janine.

Weezing bounced up and down on top of Golbat, scoring clean hits.

"Weezing's doing very well!" Hillary remarked.

"Janine's learned a lot over the past few hours," replied Aya. "She's taking this battle very seriously just like Koga has...just like a true ninja."

"Golbat, use your Wing Attack!" commanded Koga.

Golbat quickly charged toward Weezing with its powerful wings as the driving force.

"Quick, Weezing, Smog attack!" ordered Janine.

But it was too late, for Golbat scored a direct hit on Weezing, sending it skyward.

"Weezing!" cried Janine.

Weezing crashed into the ground after falling from the sky. It had been knocked out.

Tristan and Hillary felt bad for Janine's loss.

"Janine and Weezing put up a great battle," said Tristan.

"They were doing so well, too," added Hillary.

Janine gently held Weezing in her arms. "You did a great job, Weezing," she commended. "You deserve a good rest."

Koga walked up to Janine. "You've battled admirably yourself, Janine," he said. "You battled like a real ninja out there."

Janine was surprised. "You mean that, Daddy?" she said. "Does that mean..."

"Yes, dear," smiled Koga. "I think you are ready to take on challengers as a strong Gym Leader."

"Oh, thank you, Daddy!" she said excitedly. "I will keep the ninja tradition alive. I promise."

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued...)_

Tristan and Hillary walked up to Janine.

"Janine, that's so great!" said Hillary.

"Congratulations," added Tristan.

"Thanks, guys," replied Janine. "You guys made it happen. But what about Daddy?"

"I plan to carry on the ninja tradition at the Indigo Plateau starting next week," said Koga.

Everyone was surprised, even Aya.

"However," he continued, "I will be in training until one of the members of the Elite Four steps down."

"I'll help in any way I can, honored brother," said Aya.

"Thank you, Aya," said Koga. He turned to Tristan and Hillary. "It's getting late. We'll take you to the Pokémon Center and then take you to the Gym tomorrow morning for our Gym match."

"That'd be awesome. Thanks," said Tristan.

Pikachu thanked Koga, too.

"I can't wait for tomorrow!" said Tristan excitedly. "I'm eager to battle for my fifth badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"All right, let's get going, everyone," said Koga.

"We're coming, Daddy!" called Janine as she and Aya raced after him, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

* * *

 _With the ninja tradition going strong, Janine is honored with the status as the next Leader of the Fuschia Gym. Now, with Tristan's fifth Gym battle just one good night's sleep away, he looks forward to honing his skills. Who knows? Maybe he could do a good job of acting like a ninja, too!_

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	25. Chapter 25: THE ART OF THE NINJA BATTLE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 25 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through Kanto. Once again, Koga and his daughter, Janine from the games appear in this chapter, as well as Koga's sister, Aya, from the anime. And also, once again, I have Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and arrangements, plus references to episodes in which they are heard. Just a reminder that I DO NOT own Pokémon; Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other characters from the franchise are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan's ready to face off against the Fuschia City Gym Leader, Koga, but are his ninja techniques too much for Tristan to handle?**

 **Chapter 25: THE ART OF THE NINJA BATTLE**

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 M01B)_

 _Today, we find Tristan and his friends up with the sun. And of course, Tristan's first order of business is exercise._

"That's it, guys," said Tristan to his Pokémon as he stretched with them. "Koga's Pokémon will be tricky, so we have to make sure we're ready for them."

Pikachu, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle agreed with him as they stretched along.

"Don't forget that the Gym has lots of Poison Pokémon," added Hillary. "You've seen how hard Janine's Weezing and Koga's Golbat battled yesterday. I'm pretty sure that Koga has some techniques of his own to use against you."

"That's what today's training is all about," replied Tristan. "We're going to be ready for those techniques."

"Pika, Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu.

* * *

A little bit later, after Tristan, his Pokémon, and Hillary enjoyed a good breakfast, Koga, Aya, and Janine all came by to pick them up.

"Good morning, kids," said Aya. "It looks like you're ready for today's battle."

"We are, Aya," replied Tristan. "And we're ready to go."

"Well, my father's going to be tough to beat," said Janine. "He's been the Fuschia Gym Leader for as long as I can remember. And I'm sure that he won't just give away badges."

"I wouldn't want him to," replied Tristan. "After all, I did a lot of hard work with my Pokémon to earn my first four badges, right? I wouldn't expect any less of Koga."

"I appreciate the kind words, young man," smiled Koga.

"I can't wait to see another battle," said Hillary excitedly.

"Well, our Gym is just a few minutes' walk from here, so let's go," suggested Koga.

And off they all went to the Fuschia Gym through the deep forest to the Fuschia Gym.

* * *

When everyone got there, Koga led them to the battlefield out back so they could start the battle.

Tristan took a few deep breaths to keep himself composed.

"It looks like Tristan may be a little nervous," remarked Hillary. "Do you think he'll be okay, Aya?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," replied Aya. "If he stays focused, he might just be a winner in today's battle."

"Janine, would you kindly judge the battle for us, please?" asked Koga.

"It'd be an honor, Daddy!" smiled Janine as she made her way to the battlefield.

Tristan was surprised. "Janine can do that?" he asked.

"Of course," smiled Koga. "Current Gym Leaders or people that will become Gym Leaders can officially judge a Gym Battle, too," replied Koga.

"I didn't know that," said Tristan. He looked a bit confused, but was ready to move on.

"All right, if everyone's ready, this official Gym Battle between my father, Koga, the Fuschia City Gym Leader, and soon-to-be member of the Elite Four and the challenger, Tristan, from New Bark Town, will now begin!" announced Janine. "Each side will use two Pokémon. The Gym Battle will be over when both Pokémon on either side are unable to battle. In addition, only the challenger will be allowed to substitute Pokémon if necessary."

"Go, Golbat!" shouted Koga as he threw his first Pokéball.

Golbat materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked like a larger version of Zubat except it had eyes and four large fangs.

"I knew he'd be starting with Golbat," said Tristan confidently. "All right, Koga, I choose Pikachu!"

"Pika!" said Pikachu as it jumped onto the field, ready to face Golbat.

"A smart choice," said Koga. "You may have the type advantage, but that won't stop my Golbat."

"Pikachu versus Golbat!" announced Janine as she raised her red and green flags. "Good luck and let the battle begin!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Let's get in there right away, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its cheeks.

"Quick, Golbat, get away!" yelled Koga.

Golbat swerved to its left, dodging Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

Tristan was very surprised at Golbat's amazing speed. "That's fast!" he grunted. "Pikachu, repeated Thunderbolt attack!"

Pikachu shot multiple Thunderbolts from its cheeks at Golbat, but every time the attack got close, Golbat swerved from side to side, avoiding every one of them, much to Tristan's frustration.

"This isn't good," said Hillary. "That Golbat's flying way too fast for Thunderbolt to connect!"

"Golbat, Haze attack!" ordered Koga.

Golbat shot a thick black cloud of smoke from its mouth, enveloping the battlefield. Tristan and Pikachu couldn't see a thing.

"Where is that Golbat?" asked Tristan as he frantically searched for Golbat. He wasn't sure what Golbat's next attack was going to be, nor did he know where it would come from.

"Now, Golbat!" shouted Koga.

Out of nowhere, Golbat appeared in the smoke and tackled a surprised Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Now Wing Attack!" commanded Koga.

Golbat furiously struck Pikachu with its wings, scoring multiple direct hits on it.

Pikachu collapsed on the ground.

"Poor Pikachu!" gasped Hillary.

"That Golbat is pretty strong," remarked Aya. "Let's see if Tristan can get out of this mess."

"Come on, Pikachu, you can do it, buddy!" encouraged Tristan.

Pikachu struggled and eventually got back up on its feet.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" said Tristan.

"Your Pikachu has taken two of Golbat's attacks and is still ready to battle," commended Koga. "You've certainly raised it well, young man."

"Okay, Pikachu, let's battle with speed," suggested Tristan. "Use your Quick Attack now!"

 _(Music Cue: Rocket-Powered Disaster (as heard in "Riddle Me This"))_

Pikachu charged at Golbat with a white line trailing behind it. Sure enough, Quick Attack was fast enough to score a hit on Golbat.

"Your Pikachu's pretty fast, too," said Koga. "Golbat, try another Wing Attack!"

Golbat charged at Pikachu with its wings as the driving force.

"Quick, Pikachu, use your Double Team!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu quickly made copies of itself. One by one, the copies appeared. Golbat frantically looked around for the real Pikachu.

"Golbat, use your Supersonic attack!" ordered Koga.

Golbat stopped looking around and emitted thin blue rings from its mouth. Everyone except Koga covered their ears.

"Not again!" bellowed Hillary.

"That's just as powerful as Golbat's Screech attack!" added Aya.

"Pikachu, try another Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out of its cheeks at Golbat.

"Golbat, Wing Attack!" shouted Koga.

Golbat dodged the Thunderbolt and sped toward Pikachu and rammed it with its large wings, scoring a powerful blow on Pikachu.

"No, Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan.

Pikachu had fallen on the ground. It struggled to get up again, but collapsed and fainted.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Golbat wins!" called Janine as she raised her red flag in Koga's direction.

"Very well done, Golbat," said Koga.

Golbat replied happily.

Tristan quickly ran to Pikachu and cradled it in his arms. "Pikachu, how do you feel, buddy?" he asked.

Pikachu gave a weak reply.

"You did a fine job, pal," commended Tristan. "Just take it easy for now."

"Tristan's in a tight spot," said Hillary nervously. "He's only got one Pokémon left to use against Golbat and whatever Koga's second Pokémon is going to be."

"Koga may be ahead now, but I wouldn't count Tristan out of the match just yet, Hillary," advised Aya.

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary.

"I'm sure Tristan has another way of battling a Golbat if he focuses," replied Aya. "Besides, he didn't get his other four badges for nothing, as he's pointed out. So, if he remembers to try his hardest, no matter what the outcome, he will always pull out on top."

"Well, young man," said Koga, "it appears that your Pikachu battled well, but not well enough to defeat my Golbat. If I win one more time, then the match is over."

Tristan thought for a moment. "I know that Golbat is strong, but there's no way I'm going to give up. My Pokémon aren't quitters and neither am I." He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Wartortle, go!"

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It flexed its muscles as it prepared to battle against Golbat.

"I'm counting on you, Wartortle!" called Tristan. "Let's show Koga and Golbat what you can do!"

"Wartortle!" replied Wartortle happily.

"Wartortle versus Golbat!" announced Janine as she raised both flags. "Begin!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?"))_

"Golbat, Haze attack!" commanded Koga.

Once again, Golbat shot a thick black cloud of smoke from its big mouth, covering everything in sight.

"I'm not falling for the same trick twice," said Tristan. "Wartortle, blow the Haze away with your Bubble!"

Powerful blue bubbles shot out from Wartortle's mouth at the Haze. Sure enough, it cleared up and Golbat came into view.

"Now blast it with your Water Gun, Wartortle!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth at Golbat, but Golbat was just as evasive as when it avoided Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Golbat, Wing Attack!" ordered Koga.

Golbat charged toward Wartortle with its wings lighting up.

"Quick, Wartortle, use Withdraw to protect yourself!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle's head and limbs disappeared into its shell as it braced for the assault. Golbat's powerful wings struck its shell again and again.

"What next, Tristan?" asked Koga. "You've been on the defensive this entire time. I suggest you think of something before it's too late."

"Koga's right," thought Tristan. "What can I do? Wartortle can't last much longer at this rate."

"Tristan's really stuck this time," said Hillary nervously. "There's got to be something he can do!" Then, she shouted, "You can do it, Tristan! Don't forget that you've got friends who battle for you, and you've got what it takes to win!"

Golbat continued to strike Wartortle's shell repeatedly with its Wing Attack.

"There's got to be a way to knock Golbat off balance, but what?" thought Tristan. He saw that Golbat's feet were on top of Wartortle's shell. Then he got an idea. " Quick, Wartortle, spin as fast as you can now!" commanded Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle (as heard in "Navel Maneuvers"))_

Wartortle's shell began to spin, and as it did, Golbat started to lose its balance.

"It's working!" said Hillary. "Wartortle's spinning shell is causing Golbat to get dizzy! If Wartortle keeps it up, they might just beat it!"

"Looks like Golbat might just be damp dry after Wartortle's spin cycle gets done," remarked Aya.

Wartortle continued to spin faster and faster.

"Golbat, get out of there!" shouted Koga.

"But Wartortle was spinning so hard and so fast that Golbat couldn't see where it was. Eventually, Golbat was sent flying from Wartortle's spinning shell.

"Wartortle, jump and aim a spinning Tackle attack at Golbat!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle jumped as high as it could and, still spinning rapidly, rammed into Golbat with such force that it was falling through the sky.

But Tristan wasn't finished yet. "Wartortle, Water Gun now!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle's head and limbs emerged from its shell, and it quickly squirted a powerful stream of water from its mouth and struck Golbat, accelerating its fall.

"Golbat!" exclaimed Koga.

Golbat crashed into the ground, and as it did, a cloud of dust loomed. When the dust cleared, Golbat had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had fainted.

"Golbat is unable to battle! Wartortle is the winner!" declared Janine as she raised her green flag in Tristan's direction.

"That's the way, Wartortle!" commended Tristan.

Wartortle nodded approvingly at its happy Trainer.

"That was great!" said Hillary excitedly. "Tristan definitely took Wartortle's skills for a spin!"

"Yes, that was impressive," remarked Aya. "And now, I know why."

"How come, Aya?" asked Hillary.

"While Golbat's Wing Attack kept striking Wartortle's shell, Tristan must have noticed that Golbat's feet were still on it," explained Aya. "He picked that exact moment for Wartortle to spin around and around like a top, causing Golbat to lose its balance and get sent flying. Finally, he had Wartortle do a combination of Tackle and Water Gun attacks to make sure that Golbat didn't recover."

Koga returned Golbat to its Pokéball and held it close. "You did an excellent job, Golbat," he said. He put the Pokéball away and turned to Tristan. "Your Wartortle has been raised just as well as your Pikachu. Getting Golbat to lose its balance on Wartortle's shell while spinning at high speed was an excellent strategy."

"Thanks, Koga, but we're just getting warmed up," replied Tristan.

"Let's move on to the next battle as I select Venomoth!" shouted Koga as he threw another Pokéball.

A light purple moth-like Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had bulbous round eyes and its two pairs of wings were covered in dust-like purple scales.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Venomoth: The Poison Moth Pokémon: The evolved form of Venonat,"_ identified Dexter. _"_ _The powdery scales on its wings are hard to remove. They also contain poison that leaks out on contact."_

"That Venomoth looks strong," thought Tristan. "I'll have to be very careful with this one."

Wartortle breathed hard, but was still intent on winning.

"Wartortle looks tired," said Hillary. "I don't know how much longer it can keep this up, especially after its long battle with Golbat."

"Yes, it does seem very exhausted, doesn't it?" replied Aya. "We'll have to see how Tristan can handle it."

"Wartortle versus Venomoth!" announced Janine as she raised both flags. "Begin!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble")_

"Venomoth, Stun Spore," instructed Koga.

Venomoth flapped its wings, and a golden powder began to spread from them toward Wartortle.

"Wartortle, use your Water Gun to wash it away!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle fired a powerful stream of water from its mouth. Sure enough, the Stun Spore was reduced to nothing.

"Wartortle, Bubble attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle shot a flurry of powerful bubbles from its mouth at Venomoth.

"Venomoth, Double Team!" instructed Koga.

Venomoth made copies of itself at blinding speed, causing Wartortle's Bubble attack to miss its target.

Tristan was getting a little frustrated. "That's no good," he grunted. "Now Venomoth will have an easier time avoiding my attacks."

"Venomoth, unleash your Sleep Powder!" ordered Koga.

Venomoth flapped its wings again, but this time, spread a silvery powder at Wartortle, who was instantly covered in it. It closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

"Wartortle!" exclaimed Tristan. "Wartortle, please wake up! You've got to!"

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "If Wartortle doesn't wake up soon, this could all be over!"

"We'll see what happens now," replied Aya.

"Now, Venomoth, Psybeam!" ordered Koga.

Venomoth unleashed a mysterious colored beam from the crest on its head. It struck a sleeping Wartortle, pushing it backward. However, the force of the attack caused Wartortle to open its eyes and wake up.

Koga became surprised as Wartortle jumped back on its feet.

"Yes!" cried Tristan. "Way to go, Wartortle! All right, Koga, we're back, and we're ready for more!"

Wartortle agreed.

"Okay, young man, let's see how you handle our next Psybeam! Go, Venomoth!" shouted Koga.

Venomoth unleashed another mysterious colored beam from the crest on its head.

"Quick, Wartortle, protect yourself! Withdraw now!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle's head and limbs shot back into its shell just before it got struck by Venomoth's Psybeam. The force of the attack created a cloud of smoke, causing Tristan to get worried.

"Wartortle, are you okay?" shouted Tristan.

Everyone in the stadium gasped, as they wondered about the outcome of Venomoth's attack. Koga smiled, thinking he'd won, but suddenly, a proud cry could be heard from the smoke.

"Wartortle!"

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 2) as heard in "Volcanic Panic")_

It was Wartortle, and it had cleverly used enough of the force from Venomoth's Psybeam to jump into the air, even while in its shell.

Koga gasped in shock while Tristan smiled in relief.

"Incredible!" said Aya. "Wartortle jumped and got a boost from the force of Venomoth's attack to avoid any damage!"

"Yeah, go, Wartortle!" cheered Hillary.

Wartortle's head and limbs came back out of its shell as it landed perfectly on the ground and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"Okay, Wartortle, let's show Koga that it isn't over until it's over," said Tristan. He was filled with more courage and determination than ever.

"Venomoth, Double Team now!" yelled Koga.

Once again, Venomoth quickly created copies of itself. It was clear that Koga wanted to confuse Tristan before it was too late.

"Shoot 'em all down with Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle sprayed a powerful stream of water from its mouth at all the Venomoth copies. It continued to squirt away all the copies until it found the real one, and then it unleashed its Water Gun with such force that it pushed Venomoth backward to Koga's worry.

"Hurry, Venomoth, you've got to use another Psybeam attack!" cried Koga.

Venomoth unleashed a mysterious colored beam from the crest on its head.

"Okay, Wartortle, jump!" instructed Tristan.

Wartortle jumped as high as it could, and it successfully dodged Venomoth's Psybeam.

"Now, Wartortle, let's show Venomoth what we can do when we work together!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle replied happily, and was filled with so much determination from battling hard that it opened its mouth, and to everyone's surprise, it unleashed a cold beam of energy from it. The beam struck Venomoth with so much power that its wings became frozen, making it fall to the ground.

"No, Venomoth!" cried Koga.

"Is that what I think it is?" gasped Hillary.

"That was an Ice Beam!" exclaimed Aya. "Wartortle must have wanted to win as much as Tristan does, so it learned Ice Beam in the process! If there is a moment where humans and Pokémon work as one, this is one of those moments!"

"That's awesome, Wartortle, now you can use Ice Beam!" said Tristan. "All right, use your Bubble attack!"

Wartortle unleashed another flurry of bubbles from its mouth at Venomoth. The ice broke free, but Venomoth took a lot of damage from the pieces that broke off.

"Now's our big chance, Wartortle!" shouted Tristan. "Give Venomoth a Tackle attack, and this time, give it every ounce of energy you've got!"

Wartortle ran forward at its full speed toward a faltering Venomoth. Wartortle rammed into it with such force that it was sent flying backward past Koga.

"Venomoth!" cried Koga.

Venomoth crashed into the ground and slid backward. It had been knocked out.

"Venomoth is unable to battle! Wartortle wins!" declared Janine. She raised her green flag in Tristan's direction. "The victory goes to Tristan the challenger!"

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

"Yes, we did it!" cried Tristan as he happily ran to Wartortle.

Wartortle, who was battered, weary, but unbeaten, happily ran to its happy Trainer.

"You were just wonderful, Wartortle!" commended Tristan.

"Wartortle!" replied Wartortle happily.

Hillary and Aya walked up to Tristan.

"That was the coolest battle ever!" smiled Hillary. "And that Ice Beam attack proved it!"

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan.

Then, Koga approached Tristan. "You did an outstanding job, young man," he said. "And your sister is right. That Ice Beam really was something to watch. It froze my Venomoth's wings, causing it to lose its flying abilities. It was an excellent strategy, and one nobody saw coming."

"Thanks, Koga," replied Tristan. "But I think Wartortle deserves most of the credit for this victory."

Wartortle blushed in modesty.

"I have something for you," said Koga. "Janine, would you bring that here please?" He took a shiny object from a box that Janine had standing by and presented it to Tristan. It was shaped like a heart. "This Soul Badge is yours. It is proof of your victory here at the Fuschia Gym."

"Thanks so much, Koga," replied Tristan. "This badge means a lot to me." He gently took it, raised it in the air, and proclaimed, "The Soul Badge! Yes!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"I have a friend in the Safari Zone you might be interested in meeting," suggested Koga. "Maybe you should stop by and say hi to him. Tell him I sent you."

"You bet," replied Tristan.

"And I'll make sure he does," added Hillary.

"Pikachu!" finished Pikachu.

 _And so, Tristan defeats Koga and earns a Soul Badge. Now, with three more badges to go, what adventures await him, Hillary, and Pikachu next? Stay tuned to find out!"_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	26. Chapter 26: SAFETY OR FREEDOM

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here's Chapter 26 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue to make their way through Kanto. I was inspired to write this chapter after seeing the episode "Bye Bye, Butterfree," which was where Ash Ketchum released his Butterfree. I'm attempting to use my imagination, and to do that, I've added Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and episodes where they were referenced, but the song "The Time Has Come (Pikachu's Goodbye)" also makes an appearance in this chapter. That song and its lyrics were composed by John Siegler, John Loeffler, and Norman J. Grossfield. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind, positive or negative, is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are taking time off, but when a Pokémon hunter tries to steal many Butterfree to make money, Tristan's Butterfree doesn't seem to be a match for him. Hope is not lost, however, when it finds a mate that it likes, and when it does, it proves its incredible strength. Will it be enough to free the captured Butterfree in the hunter's possession?**

 **Chapter 26: SAFETY OR FREEDOM**

 _(Music Cue: Sunbasking)_

 _After winning a Soul Badge from Koga at the Fuschia Gym, Tristan and Hillary decide to treat themselves to some relaxation, while enjoying the peace and tranquility of Fuschia City._

"The weather is just perfect," remarked Tristan as he rested in the shade of some trees.

"I know," Hillary replied. "We don't get chances to relax like this very often."

Pikachu agreed with them as it stretched in relaxation.

"It seems like I've been doing some nonstop training lately," said Tristan. "And Koga's expecting us to meet this person in the Safari Zone, but I don't know who it is that we're supposed to meet."

"Even Pokémon Trainers deserve a break every once in awhile, so let's make the most of today just kicking back," suggested Hillary. "Besides, I think you're sweating the small stuff too much."

"Good idea," replied Tristan. "Let's get all the Pokémon to join us." He took out five Pokéballs and tossed them in the air.

Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle materialized from the white lights that shot out of their Pokéballs. They obviously looked happy to see him.

"Hey, everyone," said Tristan to the Pokémon, "I know we've been busy training, and we've been used to it, but today, Hillary and I have decided that we should just take the day off, especially since we've just earned a Soul Badge. I couldn't have made it this far without you.

All the Pokémon replied happily.

"Now that's a little more like it," said Hillary. "Come on, Tristan, it's time to relax."

"You're right," smiled Tristan as he watched Butterfree and Pidgeotto happily flying through the air. "Butterfree and Pidgeotto seem to be having fun together," he thought. "All of us have been through many adventures together."

Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle lay on the ground right next to Pikachu, enjoying the peace and quiet.

It seemed as if nothing was going to happen for the rest of the day, but suddenly...

 _BOOM!_

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation)_

An explosion was heard in the distance followed by a fleeing flock of frantically flying Butterfree. Everyone sprang to their feet at once.

"What do you think is going on, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but maybe we should check it out," replied Tristan. He took out his five Pokéballs and aimed the buttons at the Pokémon. "Everyone, return!"

The red beams hit the Pokémon, transforming them into red energy as they shot back inside.

As Tristan put his Pokéballs away, he noticed that Butterfree was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Butterfree?"

"Didn't you return it?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know," replied Tristan. "Butterfree must have gotten scared by the explosion and flown off somewhere."

"Pika!" cried Pikachu as it pointed in the sky.

"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Tristan. Then he looked up and saw Butterfree flying toward where the explosion took place. "Butterfree!" he gasped. He turned to Hillary. "Come on, we've got to follow it!" And he and Pikachu ran off.

"Hey, wait for me!" shouted Hillary as she ran after him.

* * *

Meanwhile, not too far away, some of the Butterfree, who were starting to fly away, got struck by multiple Electric attacks. One by one, they collapsed on the ground and were scooped up in a giant net and placed in a giant cage.

A yellow humanoid Pokémon with black lightning bolts on its body was standing before the captured Butterfree. It had two antennae on its head and a tail.

A man with a beard looked on happily at his catch. "Excellent work, Electabuzz," he said. "Those Butterfree are no match for your Electric attacks."

Electabuzz replied as it flexed its biceps.

Just then, another Butterfree raced onto the scene. It was Tristan's Butterfree, and it looked pretty mad.

"Well, what do you know?" said the bearded man. "There's another Butterfree that will fetch a nice price. Go get it, Electabuzz!"

Electabuzz charged toward Butterfree, but suddenly, a voice shouted, "Okay, hold it!"

That voice belonged to Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu had arrived on the scene.

The bearded man was clearly annoyed. "Who are youse guys?" he demanded.

"Tristan, look!" gasped Hillary as she pointed to the cage.

"Those are Butterfree, and they must be trapped!" replied Tristan. He turned to the bearded man. "All right, let those Butterfree go right now!"

"Why are you stealing them?" demanded Hillary.

"Because I'm a hunter," replied the bearded man. "My name is Taz. I've been trying to capture as many Butterfree as I can for my client so I can make money."

"That's just sick!" exclaimed Tristan.

"And now, I have two kids who are trying to mess up my plans?" said Taz in an annoyed tone. "However, I'm happy to make a deal. Just hand over your Butterfree and I'll let you bug off."

"Why do you want my Butterfree?" asked Tristan suspiciously.

"Because, kid," replied Taz, "I get a bonus for every Trainer's Butterfree I can catch."

"There's no deal! Just let the Butterfree go!" demanded Hillary.

"Hmph!" grumbled Taz. "In that case..." He snapped his fingers.

At Taz's command, Electabuzz stepped forward and aimed a Thunderbolt at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who narrowly dodged the attack.

Tristan was very angry. "What did you do that for?" he asked.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

"I have other ways to get what I want from you," replied Taz. "So I'm going to ask you nicely one more time...Hand over that Butterfree and leave."

"And we're going to tell you one more time...no!" answered Hillary.

"Then you leave me no choice!" yelled Taz. "Go, Electabuzz! Thunderbolt now!"

Electabuzz shot another powerful yellow bolt of electricity from its antennae at the kids again.

"Butterfree, use your Psybeam!" ordered Tristan.

Butterfree shot a mysterious colored beam from its antennae at Electabuzz's Thunderbolt.

The two attacks collided in midair, creating a big explosion.

"Electabuzz, send it flying with a Thunder Punch!" shouted Taz.

Electabuzz flexed its muscles as electricity sizzled from its fist. Its Thunder Punch scored a clean hit on Butterfree, sending it crashing into the ground.

"Butterfree, hang on!" exclaimed Tristan as he quickly ran to Butterfree side.

"That Electabuzz is strong!" remarked Hillary. "That hunter definitely means business!"

"Well, I can mean business, too!" said Tristan.

"That Butterfree is mine, kid, so hand it over immediately, or else!" demanded Taz.

"No way!" shouted Tristan. "My Butterfree is staying with me! We've been together too long, and it's too precious to me to give it to a creep like you!"

"Okay, Electabuzz, give it a Thunderbolt!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz shot another powerful yellow bolt of electricity at a motionless Butterfree, and was about to score a clean hit when suddenly, a powerful Flamethrower shot out and collided with Electabuzz's Thunderbolt, creating an even bigger explosion.

"Wow, that was some Flamethrower!" gasped Hillary.

"But who did it?" asked Tristan.

A large brown canine Pokémon with black stripes came into Tristan and Hillary's view. Its head, muzzle, and chest were covered in shaggy, beige fur.

Then, a motorcycle came into view and quickly stopped next to the Pokémon. A woman in police attire shouted, "Quick, come this way!"

"It's Officer Jenny!" said Tristan.

"Perfect timing!" added Hillary.

Tristan picked up Butterfree and motioned Pikachu to follow them.

"Arcanine, make sure that you stop Electabuzz!" commanded Officer Jenny.

Arcanine charged toward Electabuzz full-body style, and successfully rammed into it, causing him to crash into Taz.

"Hurry, kids, get on Arcanine!" ordered Officer Jenny.

Tristan and Hillary quickly did as told as Pikachu climbed on Tristan's shoulder.

"Butterfree, return now!" said Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

A red beam shot out, transforming Butterfree into red energy, which shot back in the ball.

"Let's go!" shouted Officer Jenny as she began speeding off through the smoke on her motorcycle. Arcanine started running after it with Tristan and Hillary hanging on tight to its mane.

When the smoke cleared, Taz saw that everyone had disappeared from view. "ARRRGH!" he growled. "You escaped this time...but you've escaped for the last time! Why did Officer Jenny butt her nose into my business and save those meddling kids anyways? Oh, well, at least I still have these Butterfree. What I have should be sufficient enough."

The captured Butterfree looked very sad as they looked on helplessly in the cage..

* * *

Meanwhile, Officer Jenny, Arcanine, the kids, and Pikachu were speeding along the streets of Fuschia City.

"Thanks for saving us, Officer Jenny," said Hillary.

"You really helped us out," added Tristan.

"I'm just glad I came along when I did," replied Officer Jenny. "It happens to be Butterfree's mating season, and this Pokémon hunter named Taz is using this opportunity to steal as many Butterfree as he can."

"What's a Pokémon hunter?" asked Tristan.

"Pokémon hunters or poachers usually try to catch wild Pokémon, many of the same species, in order to sell for profit," explained Officer Jenny. "They're known for having exceptionally powerful Pokémon, like that Electabuzz you just saw."

Tristan and Hillary listened in astonishment.

"Furthermore," she continued, "hunters are never afraid to attack humans directly in order to get what they want. And they use nets and cages to do so instead of Pokéballs."

"That's outrageous!" said Tristan as he clenched his fist tighter and tighter.

Pikachu agreed with him.

Hillary was getting worried. "If Taz has been attacking and capturing Butterfree, we might be in danger right now, especially since Tristan has one, too."

Presently, they saw a building with a large letter P on it.

"There's the Pokémon Center," said Officer Jenny. "Let's get there as fast as we can!"

And they continued on their way, little realizing that Taz had been secretly following them in his jeep with the caged Butterfree in tow.

"That's right, rest up," he said to himself. "As soon as you're ready, I'll crush you and take that Butterfree away from you once and for all. Meh heh heh heh."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Enigma)_

Later, at the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was treating Tristan's Butterfree.

"Don't worry, Butterfree, you're going to be okay," whispered Tristan as he watched Nurse Joy at work. He was concerned about Butterfree's confidence after its last battle with Electabuzz and how it would affect its self-esteem.

Hillary, however, was in a happier mood, gently stroking Officer Jenny's Arcanine. "It's so nice and warm," she said.

"Normally, I don't allow other people to play with Arcanine because it strictly works on police business," said Officer Jenny, "but you and Tristan seem to be the exception to the rule, especially since you two care about Pokémon." Then she looked at Tristan, who was still staring through the window. "Has he been standing there the whole time?"

Hillary nodded. "I think he's worried about Butterfree, especially since he couldn't defeat that Electabuzz before."

"Why don't you ask him to come over here for a minute?" suggested Officer Jenny.

"Okay," replied Hillary. "Hey, Tristan, come check out Arcanine!"

Tristan and Pikachu came over to where the others were standing. "It sure looks big," he remarked as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Arcanine: The Legendary Pokémon: The evolved form of Growlithe,"_ identified Dexter. _"It is said to run gracefully and lightly, as if it were flying."_

"Wow, no wonder we had a smooth ride on our way here," said Tristan. "That Arcanine does know how to fly."

Hillary smiled. "I knew that'd cheer you up. You can pet Arcanine, too, if you want."

"Could I do that?" asked Tristan.

"Of course," replied Officer Jenny.

Tristan gently stroked Arcanine's fur. It seemed to like it. "It's certainly been trained well," he said to Officer Jenny. "No wonder it was able to stop Electabuzz."

Just then, Nurse Joy came out of the operating room.

Tristan quickly ran to her. "How's Butterfree?" he asked.

"Butterfree's going to be fine," replied Nurse Joy.

"That's good," said Tristan. He was relieved that Butterfree was going to be back to normal soon.

"You should be very happy," continued Nurse Joy. "I've been treating many Butterfree for the past few days during this unusual breeding season."

"You mean mine wasn't the only one?"

 _(Music Cue: Legend (Version 2) M31B)_

Nurse Joy shook her head. "Trainers have been finding injured wild Butterfree all over Fuschia City," explained Nurse Joy. "One by one, they keep coming here like there's no tomorrow. Some were in worse shape than others. Just the other day, I managed to find this beautiful wild Butterfree. It's taken quite a long time for it to recover from its injuries, but it has the most beautiful scales on its wings that even I've ever seen."

Sure enough, as Tristan looked through the window, he could see its scales glittering like diamonds. "It's so beautiful," he said.

"It looks a little smaller than some of the other Butterfree we've seen," added Hillary.

"This Butterfree has been looking long and hard to find a good mate," continued Nurse Joy. "It wants to have someone strong and handsome to help protect it during the season, and possibly for life."

As she spoke, Tristan's Butterfree slowly opened its eyes. It looked around at its surroundings, and presently came to the beautiful Butterfree, who woke up shortly thereafter. Its face turned red and it instantly became attracted to it.

"Whoa, what's going on with Butterfree?" asked Tristan, who was surprised.

"Your Butterfree seems to be romantically interested in that beautiful Butterfree lying across from it," answered Nurse Joy. "It's fallen in love."

"Love?" repeated Tristan.

"That's right," replied Nurse Joy. "After a Butterfree finds a mate that it likes, it will start doing a courtship dance."

"What's a courtship dance?" asked Hillary.

"A courtship dance can involve some fancy flying, or it could mean showing off its best attacks to grab its attention," explained Nurse Joy. "Sometimes, it could mean a little of both. Either way, Butterfree does all it can to attract the attention of its future mate. If its courtship dance is successful, the other Butterfree does a dance, also."

Tristan then came to a realization. "If Butterfree's successful in finding a mate and raise a family, that means I won't be able to see my Butterfree again for a long, long time," he said sadly.

"But think about it, Tristan," said Hillary. "If Butterfree can't find a mate, it will never have any babies. How do you think your Butterfree was born if it never started out as a Caterpie in the first place?"

Tristan paused for a minute. _Should I really let my Butterfree go?_ he thought. _Or should I have it stay with me? If I let Butterfree go, it can be happy flying freely with its mate and raise a family. If it stays with me, I can keep it safe inside its Pokéball. However, if it does, perhaps it will never be happy being cooped up inside its Pokéball all day and all night long._ He thought long and hard about what Hillary had just said to him as he continued to watch his Butterfree attempt to do a courtship dance for the other Butterfree. "It sure looks happy, doesn't it?" he said aloud.

Hillary and the others agreed that it did.

"I think I'll check on the two Butterfree in the treatment room," said Nurse Joy. "I'll be right out."

She was about to enter the treatment room when a smartly dressed man came into the Pokémon Center. He was clean shaven, and he had a cane with him. "Excuse me," he said, "may I please see if there are Butterfree around? I've heard that it was mating season and I just wanted to get a close look at them before they fly off."

"Of course," replied Nurse Joy. "There are two of them in the treatment room right now."

He slowly walked inside the treatment room with Nurse Joy.

Little did Tristan and Hillary know that it was really Taz in disguise, and he was plotting to capture the two Butterfree that were inside the room.

Suddenly, Arcanine began to growl.

"What's the matter, Arcanine?" asked Officer Jenny.

In the treatment room, the disguised Taz said to Nurse Joy, "I'd like to take these Butterfree with me so I can see them fly off."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," replied Nurse Joy. "Those two Butterfree still haven't fully recovered, and they don't want to be hurt any more than they are now."

"Oh, I'm not going to hurt anything except, maybe, you," said the disguised Taz as he threw a Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Taz's Electabuzz materialized from the white light that shot out of it, scaring Nurse Joy.

Tristan and Hillary were shocked as they saw Nurse Joy get cornered. "That's an Electabuzz!" they both exclaimed.

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz shot a powerful yellow bolt of electricity at all the electrical medical equipment, causing all of it to short-circuit.

"Hey, what's the idea?!" demanded Nurse Joy.

"I'm taking these two with me!" replied the disguised Taz as a net was released from his cane, trapping the two Butterfree with it.

Everyone gasped in shock.

"Oh, no, Butterfree!" cried Tristan.

"Sorry, but I'm in a big hurry, so outta my way!" demanded the disguised Taz, as he pushed Nurse Joy aside. Then he took his catch and jumped out of the treatment room to make his getaway, but was stopped by Officer Jenny and her Arcanine.

"Hold it right there!" she demanded. "Just who do you think you are?"

"Ha!" laughed the disguised Taz. "I told you I wanted to see those Butterfree fly off, but I'm not going to let them. You fools fell for my phony act." He threw his disguise off, and sure enough, it was Taz, bearded face and all. "Go get them, Electabuzz!"

Electabuzz stepped forward and readied itself for an attack.

Tristan quickly scanned Electabuzz with his Pokédex.

 _"Electabuzz: The Electric Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Normally found in power plants, this Pokémon can wander away and cause major blackouts in cities."_

"Electabuzz, Quick Attack!" commanded Taz.

Electabuzz charged toward everyone in the way with a white line trailing behind it. Despite Electabuzz's speed, everyone managed to dodge its Quick Attack. Unfortunately, Taz and Electabuzz chose that moment to escape from the Pokémon Center.

"Bye! Time to make some dough!" he laughed as he started his jeep and zoomed off.

In the confusion, Tristan and Hillary quickly came to Nurse Joy's aid. "Are you okay, Nurse Joy?" they asked.

"I'm fine," answered Nurse Joy. "But where are the two Butterfree?"

"They're with Taz!" said Tristan. "We've got to go after him!"

"We'll do that immediately!" replied Officer Jenny. "I'll take my motorcycle while you take Arcanine!"

"Right!" said Tristan as Officer Jenny climbed on her motorcycle to chase after Taz.

Arcanine lowered its body so Tristan and Pikachu could climb on its back.

"Hillary, don't worry, we'll be back soon!" called Tristan. "In the meantime, stay with Nurse Joy!"

"Got it, Tristan!" replied Hillary.

"Let's go, Arcanine!" said Tristan. And the two of them raced after Officer Jenny as they began chasing Taz.

* * *

Meanwhile at Taz's location, the two latest Butterfree in his net were thinking of a way to get out of this situation. Tristan's Butterfree saw the other trapped Butterfree in the cage behind the jeep. So, it decided to use all the strength it had to break itself and its future mate out of the net by using its Tackle attack over and over again.

"Save your energy, you twits," taunted Taz as he drove along. "Your useless attacks aren't going to help you get out of that net."

But Butterfree kept going on, wiggling and tackling its way inside the net. The other Butterfree watched in astonishment as it did so. Then it tackled the net harder and faster.

Officer Jenny, Arcanine, Tristan, and Pikachu were watching the whole thing from a short distance away.

"Look at Butterfree go!" said Tristan. "It just won't quit!"

"It looks like your Butterfree is trying to prove its strength to the other Butterfree in that net," added Officer Jenny.

"I just hope Butterfree will have enough strength to break out of that thing," finished Tristan.

Butterfree struggled on as it tackled the net. Sweat was dropping down its face with every Tackle attack, but it was worth it in Butterfree's perspective as the net started to crack. With as much strength it could muster, Butterfree performed its most powerful Tackle attack, breaking the net. The two Butterfree were freed from it.

"Yeah, Butterfree did it!" cheered Tristan.

"Incredible!" remarked Officer Jenny.

Butterfree, who was pretty mad, flew in front of Taz's jeep and faced him, much to his surprise. He hit the brakes and skidded to a halt.

"You're gonna pay for ripping that net!" fumed Taz.

Butterfree wouldn't have any of that, so it fired a Psybeam at Taz, striking him.

Now, it was Taz's turn to be mad. "That does it! Electabuzz, go!" he screamed as he threw his Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Scare in the Air"))_

Electabuzz materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch attack!" ordered Taz.

Electabuzz flexed its muscles as electricity sizzled through its fist. It lunged at Butterfree, but Butterfree dodged it by swerving.

"Go, Electabuzz, just keep attacking it!" yelled Taz.

But Butterfree wouldn't give up so easily; it continued to swerve from left to right, dodging Electabuzz's Thunder Punch attack.

Tristan and Officer Jenny were watching Butterfree and Electabuzz's battle.

"Butterfree needs help!" said Tristan as he started to take out a Pokéball. "I'm going in!"

"Hold on!" advised Officer Jenny, stopping him. "I think Butterfree will be able to handle Electabuzz on its own. Besides, I think it wants to prove its own strength to the other Butterfree right now."

Electabuzz came in close to Butterfree, but sure enough, it kept swerving to the left and right, dodging every one of Electabuzz's attacks. As Electabuzz got tired, Butterfree began tackling the cage. It was harder than the net, but Butterfree kept at it.

"Don't let that thing beat you, Electabuzz!" commanded Taz. "Give it a Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz fired a yellow bolt of electricity at Butterfree, but at the last second, it dodged, causing the cage to be struck instead. Fortunately for the other Butterfree, that cage was immune to electricity, but unfortunately for Electabuzz, its own electricity was bounced back at it, causing it to take damage instead, despite being an Electric Pokémon.

"Get up, Electabuzz!" yelled Taz. "Hurry up and grab that Butterfree!"

"All right, that's enough!" shouted a voice.

It was Officer Jenny as she and Tristan appeared in front of Taz.

"Give back those Butterfree now!" demanded Tristan.

"I'm placing you under arrest for stealing these Butterfree during mating season!" declared Officer Jenny as she took out a pair of handcuffs.

"In your dreams, punks," countered Taz. "Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!"

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 1 (as heard in "The Rivalry Revival")))_

"Pikachu, stop it with your Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu quickly rammed into Electabuzz with a white line trailing behind it just as Electabuzz prepared to attack. The force of Quick Attack sent Electabuzz flying into Taz. They both crashed into the ground.

While that was going on, Butterfree continued to tackle the cage again and again. Then, Butterfree used its Tackle attack at full speed and broke the cage, freeing all the Butterfree trapped inside. The glittering Butterfree beamed at Butterfree's incredible strength.

Taz and Electabuzz looked on in horror.

"AUGH!" he cried angrily. "Give those Butterfree back! They're my money makers!"

"Pikachu, give them a Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" added Officer Jenny.

Pikachu shot a yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks while Arcanine shot a hot stream of fire from its mouth. Both attacks hit Taz and Electabuzz. And just to add insult to injury, Butterfree gave then a dose of its silvery Sleep Powder from its wings, causing them both to fall asleep.

"That ought to take care of them," said Officer Jenny as she placed the handcuffs on Taz's wrists. Then, she turned to Tristan. "I should thank you for your help."

"Actually, Butterfree was the one who made it all happen," replied Tristan.

Tristan's Butterfree happily flew to him, followed by the glittering Butterfree.

"Butterfree, it's because of you that all the other Butterfree are safe," he said. "I'm proud of you."

Butterfree replied happily just as the motor of Nurse Joy's jeep came close.

"Tristan!" called a voice.

It was Hillary, along with Nurse Joy, who had arrived on the scene.

"Are you okay?" asked Nurse Joy.

"We're fine," answered Tristan.

As the Butterfree did courtship dances for their mates, the glittering Butterfree did a dance for Tristan's Butterfree, who happily accepted the offer to do a courtship dance of its own.

"It looks like the glittering Butterfree has accepted your Butterfree as its mate," said Hillary.

"Yeah," whispered Tristan. He proudly continued to watch the Butterfree dance in the air throughout the afternoon.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Tears After the Cloudy Weather)_

At sunset, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu prepared to say their goodbyes to Butterfree at one of Fuschia City's cliffs.

"I guess it's time," said Hillary. "Whoever thought today would be our last day with Butterfree? It seems that we got to know it just yesterday."

"I know," replied Tristan. "But if Butterfree wants to raise a family and fulfill its destiny, then who am I to stand in its way?" He bent down and talked to the glittering Butterfree first. "This is a great Butterfree you have as your mate. Please take good care of it for me."

The glittering Butterfree nodded.

Then, Tristan came to his Butterfree, who felt sad. "I know we have to part ways, Butterfree," he said. "But before we do, I have a scarf for you." He gently tied it around Butterfree's neck to make it more handsome.

Butterfree seemed to like its present and nodded approvingly at its Trainer.

"Even if we're separated from one another," continued Tristan, "we'll always be friends...in our hearts." He put his right hand on the left side of his chest.

Butterfree nodded and understood what Tristan said as it began to tear up.

Tristan extended his arms as Butterfree flew to him. They shared one last hug together as tears began to fall from their eyes.

Hillary got a little teary-eyed herself as she watched them embrace. It felt heart-wrenching to watch.

After what seemed like forever, Tristan and Butterfree let each other go. The two Butterfree began to climb into the sky as the other Butterfree appeared.

"Look at all the Butterfree!" she said as she stood in wonder.

"I know," replied Tristan. "They're all flying free...that's the way it should be."

 _(Music Cue: The Time Has Come (Pikachu's Goodbye)_

As Tristan closed his eyes, he smiled and thought about all the memorable moments he and Butterfree shared together from when he caught it as a Caterpie in the Viridian Forest, to its battle with Samurai when it evolved into a Metapod, to its battle with Blue and his Eevee where it evolved into a Butterfree, and to many of its other battles where it got stronger and stronger.

* * *

 ** _I close my eyes and I can see the day we met,_**

 ** _Just one moment and I knew:  
You're my best friend, do anything for you._**

 _ **We've gone so far and done so much**_  
 _ **And I feel like we've always been together.**_  
 _ **Right by my side through thick and thin,**_  
 _ **You're the part of my life I'll always remember.**_

 _ **The time has come,**_  
 _ **It's for the best, I know it.**_  
 _ **Who could have guessed that you and I -**_  
 _ **Somehow, someday, we'd have to say goodbye.**_

* * *

 _(Instrumental continues)_

"Tristan, look!" said Hillary. "The Butterfree are almost out of sight!"

Tristan opened his eyes and ran to the edge of the cliff. With tears still streaming down his face, he waved as he shouted, "Goodbye, Butterfree! Good luck, buddy!"

Butterfree turned around and saw Tristan waving at it. Then it called out to him, with its own goodbye.

"I'll never forget you, Butterfree!" called Tristan. "Take care!"

"Thanks for everything, Butterfree!" added Hillary. "We'll miss you!"

Pikachu waved goodbye as a few tears streamed down its face.

Butterfree called out its goodbyes again as it, its mate, and the rest of the other Butterfree began to fly across the sea.

Tristan wiped the tears from his eyes as he watched.

Hillary walked up to Tristan and said, "You know, Tristan, you were born and raised with a lot of courage. I think you helped raise it to not only gain confidence, but have a lot of courage, too.

Tristan smiled and replied, "Thanks, sis. I know it's for the best, but I just know Butterfree will be happy with its new life."

They continued to watch as the Butterfree disappeared into the sunset.

 _In life, one experiences hellos as well as goodbyes. With Butterfree beginning a new life, Tristan remembers the fond memories they shared together..._

 ** _Somehow today, we have to say goodbye._**

 _...as the adventure continues._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	27. Chapter 27: THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! It's been a suspenseful two weeks, but I have chapter 27 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue through Kanto. Kaiser, the Safari Zone Warden make his appearance in this chapter. In case you didn't notice, his firearm was the reason for why his original appearance was cut from the English dub of Pokémon. I toned it down to make sure that no firearms appear. I also combined the anime and game characteristics of Kaiser in this chapter. Butch and Cassidy of Team Rocket make appearances in this chapter. Ash Ketchum is mentioned also. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and episode appearances appear in this chapter, too. As always, please feel free to read and review. Feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have reached the Safari Zone, and learn about the incredibly rare Pokémon, Dratini. They also go on a search for the Safari Zone warden's missing false teeth. But when Butch and Cassidy try to steal it and the other Pokémon inhabiting the Safari Zone, it's up to Tristan to save the day!**

 **Chapter 27: THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 The Road to Viridian City (M18A))_

 _Tristan and his friends have now entered the Safari Zone, which is home to many rare Pokémon. Little do they know, however, that someone is in need of their help._

"I wonder what kind of Pokémon we'll see here?" said Tristan excitedly.

"I don't know, Tristan," replied Hillary. "This is my first time in the Safari Zone, too. It's hard to say for sure."

Presently, they saw a notice ahead.

 **NOTICE!**

 **USE OF POKÉBALLS TO CATCH POKÉMON IN THE SAFARI ZONE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED!**

 **SEE THE SAFARI ZONE WARDEN IF YOU WANT TO CATCH POKÉMON!**

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu's faces all fell after seeing the notice.

"I guess we can't catch any Pokémon here," said Tristan sadly.

"But there has to be a reason why," said Hillary. "Maybe he wants to protect the Pokémon that live here. Let's go see the Safari Zone Warden."

"Okay," replied Tristan as he and Hillary continued walking, hoping to find the Warden's house.

* * *

The kids went deeper into the Safari Zone until they stopped at a house.

"I guess this is the home of the Warden," said Tristan. "Let's go in."

"Shouldn't we knock first?" asked Hillary.

"The only thing I'd be knocking on is wood," retorted Tristan. He knocked on the door.

"Oh ay!" shouted a voice.

Tristan was confused. "Excuse me, but I couldn't understand what you said," he called. "Could you please repeat what you just said?"

"I ed oh ay!" repeated the voice. "I I ee!"

"What did he say?" asked Hillary.

"I think he said 'Oh ay,'" replied Tristan. "But I can't understand what he's saying."

"Maybe we should see if Professor Oak knows the Safari Zone Warden," suggested Hillary.

Tristan agreed with the idea as he, Hillary and Pikachu proceeded to the nearest rest house to call Professor Oak.

* * *

"That's quite interesting," said Professor Oak on the video phone. "You couldn't understand what the Warden was saying to you?"

"Not a word," answered Hillary.

"We were also wondering if you knew the Warden, Professor," added Tristan.

"Of course I do," replied Professor Oak. "His name is Kaiser. In fact, I've known him well for a long time."

"You have?" asked Tristan and Hillary together.

Professor Oak nodded. "I first met the warden thirty years ago in the Safari Zone..." He began his story.

* * *

"I was taking a trip to Fuschia City one day when I figured I should stop by. There were rumors that a Dratini lived there, and I wanted to see one."

"What's a Dratini?" asked Tristan.

"Dratini is a rare Pokémon that few people have seen," answered Professor Oak. "Even though it is considered to be a myth, it can be found living in colonies underwater."

Tristan and Hillary were awestruck at Professor Oak's revelation.

"Anyway," continued Professor Oak, "many trainers flocked there to try and catch Dratini. And even though trainers caught many Pokémon in the Safari Zone, the Dratini was never found.

* * *

"As a result of the many Pokémon that were caught in Pokéballs, most of the Safari Zone was destroyed, causing the warden to develop a serious and nasty attitude," said Professor Oak. "Some folks even refer to him as 'Rude Kaiser.'"

"I feel sorry for him," said Tristan.

"Yeah, me, too," added Hillary.

"Today, 30 Safari Balls are used in the Safari Zone at a time for trainers to use not only to catch Pokémon, but to preserve the nature of the Safari Zone," explained Professor Oak.

"But what about the warden?" asked Tristan. "We couldn't understand him at all."

"Oh, silly me," chuckled Professor Oak. "I didn't mean to get off topic. Now, I spoke with Kaiser the other day, and I couldn't understand him either. I asked him to open his mouth, and when he did, I saw that his false teeth were missing."

"That explains why we couldn't understand him before," said Hillary.

"Do you know why he lost his teeth?" asked Tristan.

"It's hard to say for sure, but I can understand some sign language," answered Professor Oak. "But it seems that just the other day, he was making his usual rounds in the Safari Zone. He was stopping by the Dragon Valley area when he tripped and fell on the ground. As he did, his teeth fell out of his mouth and fell in the lake where he first saw Dratini."

"That's awful!" gasped Hillary. "If the warden is acting that nasty, who knows how nasty he really is without his teeth?"

"Then it's up to us to find them," added Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Well, it sounds like you two know your next assignment," said Professor Oak. "Good luck and be careful out there."

"Thanks, Professor Oak," replied Tristan and Hillary as the video screen turned off. As soon as it did, they started running even deeper into the Safari Zone.

* * *

A few minutes later, they reached the Dragon Valley, which was the place Professor Oak described.

"Professor Oak said that those teeth were missing somewhere in this lake," said Hillary. "But how are we supposed to get them?"

"Don't forget, sis, that I have a one-Pokémon search party," smiled Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and tossed it over the lake.

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

A white light shot out from the ball and Wartortle materialized from it.

"Wartortle, see if you can find a set of false teeth underwater," instructed Tristan.

Wartortle happily nodded and dove below the surface.

"That's a great idea, Tristan," smiled Hillary. "Wartortle can get wet so we don't have to."

"That's true," replied Tristan. Then he thought to himself, "I just hope Wartortle can stay underwater long enough to find those missing teeth."

Presently, they saw a little blue serpentine Pokémon emerge from underwater. It had a tiny pair of white fins on the sides of its head and a teeny-weeny bump on top.

Tristan thought it was Wartortle. "That was easy. "Great job, Wartor-"

"Tristan, wait!" gasped Hillary. "Look there!"

Tristan was so shocked he could barely speak. "That's not Wartortle. What is that?"

Tristan and Hillary were awestruck at this creature and remained perfectly still.

"Is that a Dratini, like the one Professor Oak just told us about?" asked Hillary.

"It probably is," answered Tristan. "Let's see what Dexter knows." He took out his Pokédex.

 _"Dratini: The Dragon Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"The existence of this mythical Pokémon was only recently confirmed by a fisherman who caught one."_

"I wonder what a Dratini would be doing here of all places?" asked Hillary.

"It's hard to say for sure," replied Tristan. "Maybe it lives here."

Just then, Dratini saw Tristan and Hillary and quickly dove back underwater.

"Wait, Dratini, please come back!" called Tristan.

"We won't hurt you!" added Hillary.

But it was no use. Dratini was gone, and it wouldn't come back up.

"I wonder if it's afraid of humans?" said Tristan.

"Maybe it's just shy," replied Hillary.

"Anyway, let's focus on finding the missing teeth, and once we do, we'll see if Kaiser knows anything about the Dratini we just saw," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary.

Presently, Wartortle emerged from underwater. It had a set of false teeth in its hands.

"Those must be Kaiser's false teeth!" said Hillary. "Wartortle must've found them!"

"Great job, Wartortle!" commended Tristan.

Wartortle replied happily.

* * *

Wasting no time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu raced out of the Dragon Valley back to the Warden's home.

"I just hope the warden will listen to us this time," panted Hillary.

"We'll see when we get there," said Tristan.

They got to the Warden's house and knocked on the door.

"Oh ay!" shouted the Warden.

"We found your false teeth!" called Tristan.

The door opened at that instant and a hand snatched the false teeth. He then slammed the door.

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"Did we do something wrong?" asked Tristan.

"I hope not," replied Hillary.

Just then, the door opened and sure enough, the warden stepped out and he had a grateful smile on his face. "Thank you so much!" he said. "I can talk again!"

Tristan and Hillary were surprised at the sudden change in the Warden's mood.

"But I thought you wanted us to..." Tristan began.

"I'm terribly sorry for how I treated you before," interrupted the warden. "My name is Kaiser. And, as you've noticed, I'm the warden of the Safari Zone."

"Hi, there. My name's Hillary, and this is Tristan and Pikachu," said Hillary.

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Please come in," said Kaiser as he led everyone inside.

* * *

"I lost my real teeth a few years ago. Nobody knew what I was saying, and earlier this week, I lost my false teeth in the Dragon Valley," explained Kaiser as he told his story. "Because of that, I wouldn't allow anybody near me or my toothless mouth. As a result, I became nasty and fiercely protective."

"That explains a lot," said Hillary.

"Anyway, Koga and Professor Oak say that they know you, Kaiser," said Tristan.

"Ah, two good friends of mine," said Kaiser. "How are they doing?"

"They're doing fine," replied Hillary. "We just spoke with Professor Oak a little bit ago."

"And I battled Koga just the other day and won a Soul Badge," added Tristan as he showed Kaiser the badge.

"Good for you," replied Kaiser.

"While we were looking for your teeth, Kaiser, Tristan and I saw a Dratini," said Hillary. "It ran away from us because it was shy."

"That's interesting," replied Kaiser. "Could you tell if there were any specific markings on it?"

"We couldn't tell for sure because we were too busy looking for your false teeth," said Tristan. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," smiled Kaiser. "What matters is that Dratini is safe and I have my teeth back."

"Professor Oak also told us about Dratini and why you only allow Safari Balls," said Hillary.

"We saw the signs, too," added Tristan.

"Yes, I'm fiercely protective of the Safari Zone and the Pokémon who live here, especially that Dratini," replied Kaiser. "Thanks to those Trainers from 30 years ago, I had no choice but to only permit Safari Balls. So far, it's worked out quite well."

"I bet Ash would've done anything to keep the Pokémon safe," said Tristan.

"Actually, I've met him some time ago," smiled Kaiser. "I thought he and his friends were bad people just like the Trainers from 30 years ago, but if it hadn't been for his heroic actions, the Pokémon, including that Dratini you saw, would have fallen into the clutches of that awful Team Rocket, and I never would have been reunited with my dear friend, Dragonair."

"Dragonair?" repeated Hillary.

"The evolved form of Dratini," replied Kaiser. "I met this Dragonair 30 years ago when it was a Dratini, and it saved Ash when he was brave enough to go underwater and prevent Team Rocket's plot from succeeding."

"It sounds like Ash goes the extra mile wherever he goes," said Tristan.

Kaiser nodded. "I owe him my gratitude."

Just then, the sound of an explosion could be heard from the Dragon Valley.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

Everyone in Kaiser's home felt the rumble from it.

"What's going on?" asked Hillary.

"No! Dratini!" exclaimed Kaiser as he dashed out of the house without another word.

"Come on, let's go help!" said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced after Kaiser to help him.

* * *

At the Dragon Valley, the smoke from the explosion stood for a few more seconds, and then cleared up. Two people in black uniforms, one man and one woman, stood proudly before the lake.

"Our smoke bomb really smoked the Pokémon out," said the woman.

"We heard that there was a Dratini here," added the man. "Just wait until we deliver it to the Boss."

"Let's make sure that this capture ends with a bang," smiled the woman as she took out another bomb and threw it next to the lake.

The bomb exploded, causing many of the lake's Water Pokémon to rise to the surface.

"All right, they took the bait!" said the man as he launched a capture net, trapping the Pokémon inside.

The Pokémon squirmed and groaned as they struggled in vain to escape.

"That was easy," smiled the man.

"Yes, but we still don't have that Dratini," replied the woman.

"Stop right there!" yelled a voice.

The man and woman turned around to see Kaiser confronting them, though they didn't seem at all unhappy.

"Well, well," smiled the woman. "Looks like we've got company."

"This should be fun," added the man.

"Just who are you and what are you doing here?!" demanded Kaiser.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Motto 1997-1998 (M20B (as heard in "The Fortune Hunters")))_

"That's an excellent question coming from someone like you," smiled the woman.

"Prepare for trouble and make it double," added the man as he and the woman recited a motto.

"To infect the world with devastation."

"To blight all peoples in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love."

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch!"

"Team Rocket circling earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!" chimed Raticate it stood between Butch and Cassidy.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived on the scene just as the motto ended.

"It's Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

"I should have known it was them," added Hillary.

"Listen up!" shouted Kaiser. "I will not allow you to capture these Pokémon! Do you understand me, Cassidy and Bucko!"

Butch was clearly annoyed. "The name is Butch, not Bucko!"

"But I think that name suits you perfectly, Bucko!" laughed Cassidy hysterically.

Butch sighed as Cassidy continued to laugh. "Not you, too, Cassidy," he said.

Presently, Dratini emerged from underwater.

"Oh, it's so cute! I mean there's our target!" stuttered Cassidy. "Hurry, Butch!"

Butch quickly regained his focus and launched another capture net.

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run!)_

"Hey, that's enough!" shouted Tristan as he took out a Pokéball. "Ivysaur, Razor Leaf attack!"

Ivysaur emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball and shot a flurry of razor sharp leaves at the net, cutting it into pieces.

Cassidy growled angrily. "Hey, that net was expensive!"

"We won't let you hurt these Pokémon, including that Dratini!" countered Tristan.

"Tristan's right, leave them alone!" added Hillary.

Kaiser was amazed at Tristan and Hillary's bravery. _These kids are great,_ he thought.

"All right, if that's what you want it..." said Cassidy. "Go get 'em, Raticate!"

Raticate charged toward Ivysaur and rammed into it, but Ivysaur stood its ground and easily pushed Raticate back.

"That's the way, Ivysaur," said Tristan.

"Not so fast!" shouted Butch as he took out a Pokéball and threw it.

A big monkey-like Pokémon with a pig's snout materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked very much like Butch's Mankey, but it had steel shackles around its wrists and ankles, and it had no tail.

"Is that Mankey?" asked Hillary. "What happened to its tail and why is it so mad?"

"Let's see," replied Tristan as he scanned Butch's Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Primeape: The Pig Monkey Pokémon: The evolved form of Mankey,"_ identified Dexter. _"Always furious and tenacious to boot, this Pokémon will endlessly chase its quarry until it is caught."_

"That Mankey must have evolved," gasped Hillary. "We'd better be careful."

"Go, Primeape, Mega Punch now!" commanded Butch.

Primeape charged forward as its fist rammed into Ivysaur, knocking it down.

"Hang in there, Ivysaur!" encouraged Tristan.

"Raticate, Super Fang attack!" ordered Cassidy.

Raticate charged toward Ivysaur and used its oversized teeth to bite Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur's in trouble!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Ha! Ivysaur's not the only one," smiled Cassidy as she nonchalantly tossed a time bomb into the lake.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation (Kanto (as heard in "Volcanic Panic")))_

"No! You must not do that!" yelled Kaiser. "If you do, all the Pokémon in this lake will be badly hurt!"

"It's too late for that, old man," replied Butch. "In just a few short moments, the time bomb will explode, and all the Pokémon will be ours."

"All right, then I'll just have to get it out of the lake myself!" said Tristan.

"No way, Tristan!" replied Hillary. "There's no way you'll be able to survive underwater...not with that time bomb set to go off!"

"I have no choice! I have to try!" insisted Tristan. "Those Pokémon are in big trouble, and someone's gotta save them!"

"No, don't do it!" yelled Kaiser.

But it was too late. Tristan had already dove into the lake in hopes of retrieving the time bomb in time.

Cassidy snickered. "Looks like that kid is finished." She turned to Butch. "Get that Dratini!"

"This should be electrifying," said Butch as he launched another net, but this time, electricity sizzled through it.

In no time, Dratini was snared inside the net, much to Kaiser's horror.

"Dratini!" exclaimed Kaiser.

"Oh, no, they got it!" cried Hillary.

Pikachu and Ivysaur watched helplessly as Dratini got zapped inside the net.

Butch and Cassidy laughed maniacally.

"Now that Ivysaur is down, we'll keep that Dratini!" said Cassidy.

"And every Pokémon in the Safari Zone," added Butch. "It won't be long before our mission ends with a bang."

Pikachu rushed toward Cassidy and Butch and was about to unleash an electric attack on them when Cassidy held Dratini's net close to Pikachu, causing it to skid to a halt.

"Don't try it, Pikachu," she warned. "One jolt from you and Dratini gets it, too."

Butch and Cassidy laughed evilly as they looked on at their apparent victory.

Kaiser looked toward the lake and thought to himself, _Please, kid, please be okay..._

In the lake's depths, Tristan held his breath as he inched closer and closer to the time bomb.

 _I've got to get to it,_ he thought. _If I don't, who knows what could happen!_ "

It wasn't long before he eventually got it, but just as he was about to reach the surface, he began to run out of air. And as he did, he began to sink to the bottom of the lake again with the time bomb still in hand.

But suddenly, a long, thin shadowy silhouette appeared below Tristan and immediately sped him toward the surface.

To everyone else's surprise on the surface, a whirlpool began to form on the lake.

"What's that?" asked Kaiser as he looked on.

Presently, the long, thin blue serpentine Pokémon emerged from the whirlpool with Tristan sitting on its back. It looked like Dratini, but it had two stylized wings on the sides of its head. It had three blue crystal orbs, two on its tail, and one on its neck.

"It's Tristan, and he's okay!" cried Hillary.

"Impossible!" exclaimed Butch.

It was true. Tristan was safe and sound as he sat proudly on the Pokémon's back with the time bomb still in hand.

"Thank you, Dragonair, my old friend," whispered Kaiser as he saw the X on Dragonair's horn; he could tell that it was his friend from 30 years ago.

"Quick, Tristan, throw the time bomb away!" shouted Hillary.

"Here goes!" said Tristan as he quickly tossed the time bomb into the sky. Just as it reached the maximum altitude, the time bomb reached zero, and it instantly exploded. The explosion didn't affect anyone on the ground.

"That was a close one," said Kaiser. "That kid saved the Pokémon in the lake."

"That's my big brother," replied Hillary. "He'd do anything for anybody."

Cassidy growled. "You're going to pay for that!" she said. "Raticate, go get those fools!"

Raticate charged toward Hillary and Kaiser as it used a Tackle attack.

"Leave them alone!" exclaimed Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (version 2) as heard in "Why? Wynaut!")_

Dragonair's horn sizzled with blue electricity and shot a powerful stream at Raticate, giving it paralysis on the spot.

"Raticate!" exclaimed Cassidy.

"Ah, that was Dragonair's Thunder Wave! Not too shabby!" remarked Kaiser.

Next, Dragonair, charged toward Cassidy and Butch and used its tail to slam into them, causing them to drop Dratini's net. The little Dratini was free.

Dratini and Dragonair embraced each other in reunion as Hillary and Kaiser looked on.

"Wait, so is that Dratini..." asked Hillary.

Kaiser nodded. "It's that Dragonair's child. I've known that Dragonair ever since I was a boy, but I never knew it was that strong over the years."

"Enough of this!" shouted Butch. "Primeape, go teach those Pokémon a lesson!"

Primeape charged toward Dratini and Dragonair with its clenched fists.

"Not so fast!" shouted Tristan as he jumped off of Dragonair. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu shot a stream of electricity at Primeape, scoring a direct hit on it.

Primeape was knocked out instantly.

"Uh-oh!" cringed Butch.

"Not good!" added Cassidy.

Ivysaur stood back up on its feet, stronger than ever. It signaled to Tristan that it was ready for the next direction.

"Now, let's get rid of them, Ivysaur," said Tristan. "Use your Vine Whip attack on them!"

Ivysaur shot two green vines from the bud on its back. The vines struck Butch, Cassidy, and their Pokémon, sending them skyward.

"No fair!" yelled Butch and Cassidy together, as they and their Pokémon flew high into the sky and disappeared with a twinkle to mark their flight.

 _DING!_

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Kaiser watched happily as Dratini and Dragonair continued to embrace one another.

"Those two sure look happy, don't they," said Tristan.

"They do," replied Kaiser. "And it's all thanks to you."

"He's right," added Hillary. "You saved Dratini and all the other Pokémon in the lake."

"Well, I couldn't have done it without that big Pokémon," said Tristan.

"That was a Dragonair," replied Kaiser. "This is the Pokémon I first met when it was a Dratini 30 years ago."

"It's so beautiful," added Hillary as Tristan scanned Dragonair with his Pokédex.

 _"Dragonair: The Dragon Pokémon: The evolved form of Dratini,"_ identified Dexter. _"This mysterious Pokémon exudes a gentle aura. It has the ability to change weather conditions."_

"That's so cool," said Tristan as he continued to look on at the two happy Dragon Pokémon.

* * *

"So where are you headed now, kids?" asked Kaiser as the sun began to set.

"We aren't sure exactly," replied Hillary.

"Then I highly suggest you go to Saffron City," replied Kaiser.

"How do we get there?" asked Tristan.

"First, go over to Sunnytown; the Cycling Road will be at the edge of it," explained Kaiser. "Gringey City will be your stop close to the end of Cycling Road. Soon after, you will reach Celadon City. Saffron City is just east of Celadon City. It's a day's walk, but if you keep going at a fast pace, you'll get there even sooner than that. I've been getting this strange feeling that it will need your help in the not-too-distant future."

"Thanks a lot, Kaiser," replied Tristan. "You've been a big help."

"I should be thanking you, kid," said Kaiser. "You helped us out big time today."

* * *

 _With the Safari Zone's Pokémon safe from Team Rocket's clutches, Tristan and Hillary make their way toward Saffron City, thinking about the many adventures that lie ahead._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	28. Chapter 28: ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 28 of the continuing adventures of Tristan and Hillary as they continue their journey through the Kanto region. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues are in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review. Feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have a wheel good time when they start pedaling on Cycling Road, but they have to get to the Pokémon Center to help an ailing Poliwag. What worse, a stalled ship turns into a certain calamity! Will Tristan and Hillary find a way to make the best out of a bad situation?**

 **Chapter 28: THE ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 The Road to Viridian City (M18A) (as heard in "The School of Hard Knocks"))_

 _Having left Fuschia City, Tristan and Hillary have now arrived in Sunnytown. They hope to take the Cycling Road as the first part of their journey to Saffron City, where the next Gym awaits._

"Sunnytown sure looks sunny, doesn't it, Pikachu?" said Tristan as he took in the sights.

"Pika!" answered Pikachu.

"Good one, Tristan," smiled Hillary, "but let's stop by the Pokémon Center first."

"Good idea," replied Tristan. "My Pokémon could use a checkup anyway."

* * *

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center," smiled Nurse Joy as Tristan and Hillary walked in.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary.

"Could you take care of my Pokémon for me?" asked Tristan. "I have a Gym Battle coming up in Saffron City, and I want to make sure that my Pokémon are in tip-top shape."

"Sure, I can take care of them," smiled Nurse Joy as she took Pikachu and Tristan's four Pokéballs into the examination room.

Hillary turned to Tristan and suggested, "Let's give Grandma a call."

"That's two good ideas in one day, sis," replied Tristan. "Besides, Grandma's been wanting to know how we've been doing."

* * *

"Hi, kids," smiled Veronica on the video screen. "How are things going?"

"We're doing great, Grandma," replied Tristan. "I've already earned five badges so far."

"That's great news," said Veronica. "Where's your next Gym going to be?"

"Our next Gym is in Saffron City," answered Hillary. "Tristan's planning to go for his sixth badge there."

"That's quite interesting," said Veronica. "The Gym Leader there will be using Psychic Pokémon. They'll be difficult to handle."

"Psychic Pokémon?" said Tristan. Then he thought, _Great. Without Butterfree around, my next Gym battle won't be as easy._

"Do you think Tristan will be okay in his next Gym Battle?" asked Hillary nervously.

"Don't worry, you two," replied Veronica. "Tristan didn't get his other five badges for nothing. I'm sure that Tristan will be just fine if he keeps his focus on the big picture."

"Thanks, Grandma, we'll remember that," said Hillary.

"Well, your grandfather's been outside doing a little bit of gardening, so I have to check up on him," said Veronica. "I'll let you go for now, but I'll tell him you two said hi."

"We love you Grandma, and thanks," said Tristan.

"Good luck, kids," smiled Veronica as the video screen turned off.

Tristan then sighed.

"What's wrong, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I never thought I had to deal with Psychic Pokémon," answered Tristan. "If I had Butterfree with me, my next Gym battle wouldn't 't be as difficult."

"But remember, Tristan, just because Butterfree could use Psychic attacks like Confusion and Psybeam, doesn't mean that it's a Psychic Pokémon," advised Hillary. "You're going to have to think of a way to avoid getting caught by those attacks yourself."

"You're right," said Tristan. He was filled with determination. "I'm going to train harder than ever, and we'll beat those Psychic Pokémon!"

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" said Hillary excitedly.

Just then, the healing chimes rang. Tristan and Hillary smiled.

Nurse Joy came out of the examination room. "Good news, Tristan," she smiled. "Your Pokémon are in tip-top shape, and they're ready to go."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan as Pikachu happily jumped into his arms and climbed on his shoulder.

"You've obviously been taking good care of them," continued Nurse Joy. "They must all be happy to have a Trainer like you."

"Well, I try, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

"By the way," said Hillary, "we're trying to get to Saffron City. We were wondering if this is one of those places where you take the Cycling Road to get to the other side."

"Well, you're right on course," smiled Nurse Joy as she pointed to a map. "The Cycling Road has a bike rental. Use a bike to take the path out of Sunnytown. Crossing the bridge will get you across the Cycling Road. It's a very long bridge. And once you do, the bikes will be stored for the next people who want to ride across to Sunnytown and vice versa."

"Awesome!" said Tristan. "I can't wait to get going!"

Just then, the video phone rang.

"Hmm...I wonder who that could be?" said Nurse Joy as she answered the phone. "Hello, Sunnytown Pokémon Center?"

The video screen turned on and another Nurse Joy appeared on the video screen. She seemed very worried. "Sis, we have a problem, big time!"

"What is it?" asked the first Nurse Joy.

"I'm trying to treat a seriously injured Poliwag, but I don't have the medicine for it," replied the second Nurse Joy.

"I have plenty of the medicine you need on hand," said the first Nurse Joy, "however, I have to run my own Pokémon Center. I wish I could do something to help you out..."

"We can go!" interrupted Hillary.

The first Nurse Joy turned toward Tristan and Hillary.

"Yeah," added Tristan. "We were planning to head over to the Cycling Road anyway."

"Pikachu!" finished Pikachu.

Then, Nurse Joy turned back to the screen. "It looks like help is on the way, sis," she said. "I have two kids that will help get the medicine to you in no time."

"Thanks. Try and have them hurry," said the second Nurse Joy as the video screen turned off.

Nurse Joy then turned to the children. "I'm going to need your help," she said. "I need you to take this special medicine to an injured Poliwag at the Pokémon Center at the end of the Cycling Road."

"What's a Poliwag?" asked Tristan. He took out his Pokédex and pushed a few buttons.

 _"Poliwag: The Tadpole Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"It has no arms, but its tail makes it a strong swimmer."_

Nurse Joy put the medicine in a waterproof sack and gave it to Tristan.

"My sister and I are counting on you two to get that medicine to that Poliwag as fast as you can," said Nurse Joy.

"We're on the job, Nurse Joy!" said Hillary as she and Tristan dashed out of the Pokémon Center as fast as they could.

"Be careful out there!" called Nurse Joy as the doors closed.

* * *

It didn't take Tristan and Hillary long to get to the Cycling Road entrance.

"Come on, let's get those bicycles and zoom on down the path!" said Hillary as she and Tristan made their way to the bicycles.

However, a voice ordered, "Stop right there!"

Tristan and Hillary stopped dead in their tracks. They were surprised. They didn't expect anyone to stop them like that.

"Who said that?" asked Tristan.

Out stepped a woman in blue police attire.

"It's Officer Jenny," said Hillary.

"You kids had better have a good reason for being in a hurry," warned Officer Jenny.

"We're sorry, Officer," said Tristan, "but there's an injured Pokémon at the Pokémon Center on the other side of Cycling Road."

"And we've been asked to deliver medicine there," added Hillary. "And we don't have a second to lose."

Officer Jenny immediately understood what Hillary and Tristan were saying. "Follow me," she said.

Tristan and Hillary quickly followed her into the building as she gave them each a helmet and a bicycle to ride on.

"Just pedal across the long bridge, and you'll be on the other side in no time," advised Officer Jenny. "Be extremely careful in stormy weather, though, because winds on the bridge can be quite strong."

"We'll be careful, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

"I'll let the other officers know that you two are crossing the bridge," said Officer Jenny. "You two go on ahead."

"Thanks," replied Hillary. And she and Tristan pedaled off posthaste.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Bicycle 1997-1998)_

The sun was shining and the winds were calm as Tristan and Hillary pedaled on the Cycling Road. They enjoyed it so much that they felt invigorated by it.

"This is great!" said Tristan. "We'll be able to get to the Pokémon Center in no time!"

"And Nurse Joy will be able to nurse that injured Poliwag back to good health!" added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with them.

They continued to pedal for what seemed like hours. They went past people and bikers of all shapes and sizes.

The bikers they passed waved friendly hellos. Tristan and Hillary waved back.

"Now this is the way things should be," smiled Tristan. "Trainers and Pokémon being friendly to whomever they meet no matter where they go."

"Even if they don't formally introduce themselves?" asked Hillary.

"Definitely," replied Tristan. "Come on, I'll race you!" And he sped up.

"Hey, wait for me!" called Hillary as she raced after him.

They went faster and faster as they tried to outrace one another in friendly competition. But suddenly, they saw the road ahead being raised into the air, much to their surprise.

"What's going on?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but I think we've just been blocked," replied Tristan. "Look!"

The road ahead lifted higher and higher into the sky until it tilted in almost a 90-degree angle.

"This must be a drawbridge," said Tristan.

"And look what's trying to cross!" added Hillary.

Just below, a big ship was seen, and was heading in the direction of the drawbridge so it could cross.

"That ship must not have been small enough if the drawbridge had to be raised," said Hillary.

"Just great," grumbled Tristan. "Now we'll have to wait until the drawbridge is back down again, and we can't go to the Pokémon Center on the other side with that gigantic ship coming through. Things can't get any worse."

As he said that, the ship suddenly made a spluttering noise.

"That couldn't have sounded good," said Hilary.

Then the ship's motor stopped, causing it to sail to a halt.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan. "Now we'll never get across!"

"Let that be a lesson, Tristan," said Hillary. "Never say 'things can't get any worse;' things will always find a way."

"Now, what are we going to do?" asked Tristan. "There's got to be a way to help the people on that ship get across the drawbridge."

Presently, Hillary got an idea. "Maybe Pidgeotto can get Officer Jenny out here to help the ship's passengers."

"It's worth a try," replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it.

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"Fly to the end of the Cycling Road and get Officer Jenny as fast as you can," ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto squawked and flew off like a shot.

"I hope Pidgeotto hurries," said Hillary. "We've got to get that medicine to the Pokémon Center and fast."

"Nurse Joy is counting on us," added Tristan, "and we can't let her down."

Presently, Tristan and Hillary heard Pidgeotto's squawking followed by the roar of a motorcycle engine.

"Wow, it sounds like Pidgeotto already found Officer Jenny," said Hillary.

"Officer Jenny, over here!" called Tristan as he and Hillary waved their arms.

Officer Jenny saw them and immediately came to a stop. "What happened?" she asked.

"This big ship wanted to get under the drawbridge, but it got stuck for some reason," answered Hillary. "And we don't know what the problem is."

"We heard the ship emit a noise that didn't sound good," added Tristan. "Then we saw it stop just as it was about to cross the drawbridge."

"I'll report it right away," said Officer Jenny as she took out her radio. "Dispatch, this is Officer Jenny. We have a raised drawbridge on Cycling Road blocking the road due to a stalled ship. Have any available units meet me on tag two."

"Ten-four, Officer Jenny," replied the dispatcher.

A few seconds later, six voices reported in on Officer Jenny's radio.

"This is Officer Jenny," she said. "We have a road block on Cycling Road. A ship is stalled and can't get through. Units one through three, report to my location. Units four through six, set up barriers on both sides until the road block is cleared."

"Roger," replied the six voices.

Officer Jenny put her radio away. "The six units will be here to address the situation in no time," she said to the kids. "In the meantime, we'll just have to wait for the ship to get through so the drawbridge can go back down."

"But we don't have time to wait," insisted Tristan.

"Tristan's right," added Hillary. "Nurse Joy is waiting for that medicine she needs to treat that sick Pokémon." Then, an idea struck her. "Tristan, come here a minute," she said to Tristan as she took him aside.

"What's up?" asked Tristan.

Hillary whispered in Tristan's ear for a few seconds.

Tristan smiled. "That's a great idea!" he said.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan and Hillary made adjustments to the waterproof medicine sack. They tied a thin strong rope through the holes and turned it into a necklace.

"Pidgeotto, come over here," called Tristan.

Pidgeotto flew over to Tristan and waited for instructions.

"I'm going to put this medicine sack around your neck," instructed Tristan. "We're going to need you to take it over to the Pokémon Center so Nurse Joy can treat the injured Poliwag. We can't get there right now because the road is blocked."

Pidgeotto nodded and squawked.

"Now hold still, Pidgeotto," instructed Tristan as he carefully put the sack around Pidgeotto's neck.

"Are you feeling okay, Pidgeotto?" asked Hillary hopefully.

Pidgeotto nodded.

"That's good," said Tristan. "The last thing I need is to have a Pokémon feeling uncomfortable." He turned to Pidgeotto. "Now, fly over to the Pokémon Center as fast as you can."

Pidgeotto squawked its response and flew off to the other side of Cycling Road.

"Good luck, Pidgeotto," whispered Hillary.

Presently, Tristan and Hillary heard a small boom that sounded like an explosion coming from the ship.

"What was that noise?" asked Tristan.

Officer Jenny looked at the ship. "I didn't hear anything," she said.

Then another small boom was heard.

"Don't tell us you didn't hear anything that time," said Hillary.

"I heard it, but I'm not sure where those booms were coming from," replied Officer Jenny.

Then, a third boom was heard, and seconds later, smoke could be seen rising from the ship into the sky.

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken! (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))_

"Oh, no, a fire!" gasped Hillary.

"Those booms must have occurred after the ship stalled out!" added Tristan.

"I'll get the fire department," said Officer Jenny as she took out her radio again. "Dispatch, this is Officer Jenny. We now have a ship on fire under the Cycling Road bridge. Get as many firefighting units as you can to my location and hurry."

"Ten-four, Officer Jenny," replied the dispatcher.

Officer Jenny turned to Tristan and Hillary. "I need you to try and get the passengers off the ship safely and help put the fire out until reinforcements arrive," she said.

"We're on it, Officer Jenny," said Tristan as he and Hillary surveyed the ship.

Down below, the passengers screamed for help as the smoke spread.

"We've gotta help the passengers," said Hillary.

"Ivysaur, Wartortle, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw two Pokéballs.

Ivysaur and Wartortle both materialized from the white lights that shot out of the balls.

"I need you two to help," said Tristan. "Wartortle, jump onto the ship and help put the fire out."

Wartortle happily complied as it jumped off the bridge and made a perfect landing on the ship's deck. Then it set off looking for the fire so it could put it out.

"Ivysaur, I need you to use your Vine Whip and get the passengers up onto the bridge as fast as you can," continued Tristan.

Ivysaur shot two vines from its bud and extended them to the ship's deck.

Down below, the passengers were still panicking as the fire got closer. Then they saw the two vines and heard Tristan shout, "Quick, grab the vines!"

Ivysaur wrapped its two vines around the passengers, two at a time, while Tristan and Hillary pulled on the vines to get the passengers on the bridge.

"You're doing great, Ivysaur," said Tristan. "Keep up the good work."

"That's it, everyone!" called Hillary. "Get to Officer Jenny and fast!"

The passengers ran away from the scene of the burning ship as fast as their legs would carry them.

Back on the ship, the fire was raging out of control. Wartortle blasted its way through the fire with its Water Gun attack to keep it at bay. Eventually, it arrived at the source of where the fire started. Then it used a full-force Water Gun attack on the fire.

Meanwhile on the bridge, Tristan, Hillary, and Ivysaur were making good progress getting the passengers off the ship safely. Some of the passengers, mainly young ones, were trembling as they got on the bridge, and understandably so, because of the raging fire on the ship.

Just as Ivysaur lifted the last of the passengers onto the bridge, a powerful explosion on the ship rocked the bridge.

"Quick, everyone, get away from here now!" shouted Officer Jenny.

"What about Wartortle?" gasped Tristan.

"Come on, Tristan, we've gotta go!" insisted Hillary as she and Pikachu dragged Tristan away from the ship's vicinity with Ivysaur not far behind.

Seconds later, there was a final tremendous explosion followed by a cloud of black smoke.

"Wartortle!" yelled Tristan at the top of his lungs as the smoke continued to rise in the air.

Suddenly, a silhouette flew through the smoke and flames and quickly emerged with something on its back.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Opening (1997-1998-M01B)_

The silhouette came into view as Pidgeotto proudly flew over the smoke with Wartortle safely on its back.

"It's Pidgeotto!" said Tristan.

"And Wartortle, too!" added Hillary.

Pidgeotto landed on the ground, allowing Wartortle to dismount.

"Are you okay, Wartortle?" asked Tristan.

Wartortle had a little smoke on its body, but it nodded.

"Thank goodness," sighed Hillary.

"Thanks a lot, Pidgeotto," said Tristan.

Pidgeotto nodded.

"But what about the medicine?" asked Hillary.

It was then that she and Tristan noticed that the medicine wasn't around Pidgeotto's neck anymore.

"It looks like the medicine got to its destination," said Tristan. "Isn't that right?"

Pidgeotto nodded again.

"That's good news, too," said Hillary.

Many fire trucks and firefighters arrived on the scene a moment later to assist in fighting the massive fire.

"We came as fast as we could, Officer Jenny," said one of the firefighters.

"Did anybody get hurt?" asked another.

"Everyone's present and accounted for, thanks to these kids and Pokémon," replied Officer Jenny.

"That's great, Officer," said the firefighters as they motioned everyone to stand away from the scene.

Officer Jenny turned to Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends. "You two were great today," she said. "Thanks to you, there were no injuries today. I salute your hard work."

"We're just glad that we could help," replied Tristan.

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"But what about the ship?" asked Hillary.

"I'm afraid that the ship is a total loss," replied Officer Jenny sadly.

"That's too bad," said Hillary sadly.

"I'll let the folks at the end of Cycling Road know that you need to get across, so I'll tell them as soon as the situation dies down," added Officer Jenny.

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Hours later, after the firefighters left, the drawbridge was lowered.

"Now we can get across to the other side," said Hillary.

"Then, let's go," said Tristan as he and Hillary pedaled their bikes to the end of the Cycling Road.

It didn't take them long to reach the Pokémon Center. They ran inside to check with Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy, how's Poliwag?" asked Tristan hopefully.

"Is it going to be okay?" added Hillary.

"Poliwag will be just fine," answered Nurse Joy.

"That's great, Nurse Joy," said Tristan.

"When I heard what happened on the bridge, I was afraid that you weren't going to make it in time," explained Nurse Joy. "But you were clever enough to send your Pidgeotto here to drop the medicine off here. Then it flew off again to see if it could help out on the bridge. So if it hadn't been for your Pidgeotto, Poliwag would have been in worse shape."

"We're just glad things worked out," said Hillary.

"Why don't you two stay here tonight?" suggested Nurse Joy. "You must be exhausted, and the sun will be setting soon."

"Great," replied Tristan. "We'd like that." Then, his stomach growled, making him feel embarrassed.

Nurse Joy chuckled. "I guess you need sustenance, too."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu joined in the laughter.

* * *

 _Thanks to Tristan and Hillary, a bad situation has a happy ending. And after a good night's sleep at the Pokémon Center, they will once again be on their way to Saffron City._

 **► TO BE CONTINUED**


	29. Chapter 29: ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 29 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Ash, Misty, and Brock are mentioned in this chapter, but don't make appearances. However, Giovanni does at the end of the chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review. And remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary have arrived in Gringey City, but when yet another Team Rocket scheme comes to town, it's the legendary Pokémon, Zapdos, who is the victim. Will these brave children be able to come to its rescue?**

 **Chapter 29: THE ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1: The Road to Viridian City (Version 1))_

 _Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu have now arrived in Gringey City, which is the site of many power plants and factories. It's the next leg of their journey to Tristan's next Gym battle in Saffron City._

"This city sure looks beautiful," said Hillary.

Even with the many factories this city has, it looks like it's been well-maintained," added Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Let's go find a Pokémon Center," suggested Hillary. "You never know when we might need one."

"Okay," replied Tristan as he and Hillary set off.

 _(Music Fade Out)_

* * *

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center," greeted Nurse Joy as Tristan and Hillary walked in a few minutes later.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" asked Nurse Joy.

"I think we're good for now," replied Tristan. "However, if you'd check my Pokémon just in case, that would be great."

"I'd be happy to check them out," smiled Nurse Joy. Then she sighed. "If only I was as happy and motivated months before that fateful day." She then took Tristan's Pokémon into the examination room and carried out her task.

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears)_

"I wonder what's wrong?" said Hillary.

"Maybe something happened on that fateful day, and maybe that's why she's so sad," suggested Tristan.

"That may be," replied Hillary. "But that doesn't explain what happened before."

"Let's talk to Professor Oak," suggested Tristan. "After all, he's been wanting to know how we've been doing."

"Good thinking, Tristan," replied Hillary as she and Tristan walked over to the video phone.

Tristan dialed the number and heard it ring. The screen turned on and Professor Oak appeared on it.

"Ah, hello, kids, how's it going?" asked Professor Oak.

"We're doing great, Professor," replied Hillary.

"We arrived in Gringey City not too long ago," added Tristan.

"Interesting," remarked Professor Oak. "When Ash was there, that city was a mess." Presently, a purple gooey body with large hands hugged and smothered Professor Oak. "Ugh! And so am I!"

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock. "Are you okay?" they asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine," smiled Professor Oak. "Ash's Muk has certainly been very affectionate to me ever since he caught it."

"It's certainly a friendly Pokémon," said Tristan as he scanned Muk on his Pokédex.

 _"Muk: The Sludge Pokémon: The evolved form of Grimer,"_ identified Dexter. _"Poison seeps out of Muk's body."_

"It doesn't seem to bother the Professor at all," remarked Hillary.

"I'm used to it," replied Professor Oak. Then, Muk hugged him again. "Stop that, Muk! You're ruining my favorite lab coat!" He turned to the camera and said, "Sorry, kids, but I've got a lot of Muk on my hands. Bye for now!" Then the video screen turned off.

"That Muk must've liked Gringey City before it got caught," said Tristan, who by this time was very confused.

"Either that or it took a liking to Professor Oak after it got caught," replied Hillary. She was just as confused as Tristan was.

Presently, the healing chimes rang.

Nurse Joy came out of the examination room with Pikachu and Tristan's four Pokéballs. "Your Pokémon are all in tip-top shape," she said.

"Great. Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

"We heard you sighing before, Nurse Joy," said Hillary. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong now," replied Nurse Joy, "but several months ago, the city was polluted. The air wasn't fresh and the water wasn't clean."

Tristan and Hillary listened in astonishment.

 _(Music Cue: Unconditional Love)_

"The citizens of Gringey City didn't clean up, and I wanted to do my job," continued Nurse Joy, "but I just didn't have the motivation to be a good nurse." She sighed as she continued her story.

* * *

"When three Pokémon Trainers, Ash, Misty, and Brock came here, they brought in a Pikachu that didn't feel too well. I dismissed its condition as just a common cold. Little did I know that Pikachu had built up too much electricity in its body. It sometimes occurs among Electric Pokémon. The Magnemite and Magneton that powered the power plants were overpowered by the Grimer and the lone Muk because they loved the pollution."

"So that's what happened," said Hillary.

"Yes," replied Nurse Joy sadly. "However, thanks to the Electric Pokémon, Ash and his Pikachu defeated the Grimer and captured that Muk. The power was restored and the Grimer were sent packing.

* * *

"Later, Ash and his friends explained that everyone in the city shared the blame of polluting the city, causing the Grimer to come here. But thanks to that experience, the citizens of Gringey City have been inspired to keep the city clean, and I was inspired to be a better nurse. So I, among the other citizens, owe Ash and his friends our gratitude."

"That's a great story, Nurse Joy," said Hillary.

"Is that why you've been so sad?" asked Tristan.

Nurse Joy nodded.

"It's never too late to start keeping the city and earth clean, right?" said Tristan.

"Right," answered Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Presently, the sky outside turned dark. Then, rumbles of thunder could be heard.

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy ran outside.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan.

"There must be a storm nearby," replied Nurse Joy. "We'd better get inside." She led Tristan and Hillary back inside and closed the door.

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"I don't get it," said Tristan. "Why would a thunderstorm appear out of nowhere like that?"

"Good question," replied Hillary.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar was heard in the sky followed by a big clap of thunder.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

"What's that?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. Then she gasped in shock as she saw a large yellow bird with yellow and black spiky wings and a large orange beak fly overhead. "Big yellow bird flying at twelve o'clock!"

"What's it doing?" asked Tristan.

"It looks like it's showing off its electricity as it's flying," replied Hillary.

"Come on, let's follow it!" said Tristan as he and Pikachu followed Hillary out of the Pokémon Center.

"Please be careful out there!" called Nurse Joy as the doors closed behind them. Then, she whispered. "I hope they don't get struck by the lightning."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc (as heard in "An EGG-Sighting Adventure"))_

As they ran down the streets of Gringey City, Tristan and Hillary were wondering what a flying Pokémon would be doing in a city like that.

"Maybe that Pokémon visits here a lot," suggested Hillary. "Or maybe it's just passing by."

"Either way, we've got to see where the Pokémon is headed," said Tristan. As he continued to run, he got a better look at the yellow Pokémon with spiky wings and scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Zapdos: The Electric Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Legendary bird Pokémon is said to appear when the sky turns dark and lightning showers down."_

"So that's why the sky turned dark all of a sudden," said Hillary. "It was because of Zapdos flying in the sky."

All of a sudden, a net was shot in Zapdos's direction.

"Zapdos, look out!" shouted Tristan.

Zapdos quickly turned around and avoided the first net, but was soon captured in another net that shot out from the opposite direction.

"No, Zapdos!"shouted Hillary.

The net that trapped Zapdos inside caused it to fall down to the ground. It then used multiple Electric attacks to try and break out of it, but it failed every time.

"We're coming!" shouted Tristan and Hillary as they ran toward the net.

But a powerful stream of electricity shot out from nowhere and stopped them in their tracks. It was then that a bunch of gray metal spherical Pokémon with magnets on their sides appeared.

"What's going on?" asked Hillary. "And who are those Pokémon?"

"Let's check them out," said Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"_ _Magnemite: The Magnet Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"It's able to float through the air and emits Thunder Wave_ _through its magnet-shaped units located on its sides."_

Just then, two helicopters appeared in the sky as Zapdos struggled to break free on the ground. They both landed on the ground, then multiple men in black uniforms stepped out. They all had a red R on them.

"Stay out of our way, you meddlesome kids!" said one of them.

"You're Team Rocket!" fumed Hillary.

"Let Zapdos go right now!" demanded Tristan.

"No," smiled a Rocket Grunt. "We're here to take that Zapdos, and there's nothing you can do about that."

Zapdos squirmed and tried to break free with a huge stream of electricity, but it wasn't powerful enough to break through .

"Zapdos's attack didn't work," said Tristan.

The net must be electric-proof," added Hillary.

The Rocket Grunt nodded. "Zapdos usually gets here to get recharged by the power plant's electricity when it's running low on energy. We planned for it to come when it's at its weakest this whole time." He turned to the other Rocket Grunts, who were standing by. "You in helicopter one, grab it now!"

The Rocket Grunt in the first helicopter complied as a mechanical claw grabbed the net.

"All right, let's go!" commanded the Rocket Grunt.

The other Grunts got inside the helicopters.

"It's time to bid adieu," said the Rocket Grunt as he followed the others in the helicopter.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle Version 2 (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

And just as he did, the helicopter began taking off into the sky.

"Hey, come back!" shouted Tristan as he and Hillary began pursuing the helicopters, but the Magnemite surrounded them, preventing them from getting any closer.

"Now what do we do?" asked Hillary. "We can't proceed with these Magnemite blocking our way."

"Then it's time for Plan B," replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

Pidgeotto materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball and awaited Tristan's directions.

"Go and help Zapdos now!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeotto flew ahead and raced toward the helicopter carrying Zapdos.

The Rocket Grunt in the helicopter was surprised by the sudden appearance of Pidgeotto. "You fools! You let them send a Pokémon our way!" he exclaimed at the other Rocket Grunts. "Where are your Magnemite?!"

"Surrounding the kids, where else?" replied another.

The commanding Rocket Grunt grumbled and proceeded to use the loudspeaker. "Attention, all Magnemite: change of plans: stop that birdbrain!"

All the Magnemite left Tristan and Hillary and chased after Pidgeotto, who was flying toward the helicopter as fast as its wings could carry it.

"Looks like your plan worked, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

"Come on, guys, now's our chance!" said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced after the helicopter, Pidgeotto, and the Magnemite.

The Magnemite closed in on an unsuspecting Pidgeotto. One of them began to launch an Electric attack on it from behind.

"Pidgeotto, behind you!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgeotto heard Tristan's voice and climbed higher to dodge the attack.

Then, many more of the Magnemite launched more Electric attacks, but Pidgeotto easily dodged them.

The commanding Rocket Grunt was beginning to get annoyed. "I've had enough," he said at last. He opened a hatch and threw a Pokéball.

A Pokémon with three gray connected spherical shapes was released from the white light that shot out of it. They each had magnets on their sides.

"Oh, great, just what we needed," fumed Hillary. "Another magnetic problem."

"Let's see what Dexter says," said Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Magneton: The Magnet Pokémon. The evolved form of Magnemite,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its anti-gravitational powers allow it to float, and it can emit powerful magnetic and electric fields."_

"Now that Magneton has arrived, it's going to be harder to rescue Zapdos," said Hillary.

"You can do it, Pidgeotto!" shouted Tristan. "Please don't give up!"

"Prove the kids wrong, Magneton!" commanded the Rocket Grunt through the loudspeaker.

Magneton launched a powerful stream of electricity at Pidgeotto, who narrowly dodged the attack.

"Magnemite and Magneton, team up and attack!" ordered the Rocket Grunt.

The Magnemite gathered around Magneton and combined their electricity into one powerful blast, which struck Pidgeotto directly, causing it to go into a tailspin.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"Pidgeotto's been hit!" exclaimed Hillary.

Pidgeotto kept falling and falling until at last, it crashed into the ground. It seemed to be hurt for sure.

Tristan and Hillary rushed to Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeotto, you've gotta try and get up!" implored Tristan.

"You have to!" cried Hillary.

But Pidgeotto just lay motionless on the ground, still suffering from the massive blast and the crash landing.

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

"We've got it now, guys, now finish it off!" cried the Rocket Grunt.

Once again, the Magnemite and Magneton combined their electricity and aimed it at a motionless Pidgeotto, who struggled to get up.

"Pidgeotto!" exclaimed Tristan as he rushed forward.

"Tristan, wait!" cried Hillary.

Tristan rushed in front of Pidgeotto, determined not to let any of the Electric blast hit it. Pidgeotto was surprised at Tristan's bravery and was touched by how far he was willing to go to protect it. He braced himself for the attack, but at the last second, Pikachu jumped in front of both of them and took the massive blast itself.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu strained as the electricity coursed through its body, but managed to hang in there.

The Rocket Grunt was getting anxious. "Come on already, let's get out of here with our legendary prize!" he said.

"But what about the Magnemite and Magneton?" asked another Grunt.

The commanding Rocket Grunt grumbled. "Fine, let's get them and go." Then he saw Tristan's Pikachu still taking the massive blast of electricity. At last, he lost patience. "You dumb Magnet Pokémon, get that rodent out of our way!" he yelled.

One of the Magnemite charged at Pikachu and rammed into it, causing it to stop taking the hit and forcing Magneton and the Magnemite to stop their attacks.

Tristan quickly rushed to Pikachu, who was on the ground. "Pikachu, are you okay? Say something, buddy."

Pikachu slowly, but surely got back on its feet. However, larger sparks of electricity sizzled from its cheeks. Pikachu now felt stronger than ever.

"Go get that kid!" shouted the Rocket Grunt.

The Magnemite and Magneton all gathered around once more and combined their electric attacks into one huge blast and aimed it toward Tristan.

"Tristan, look out!" cried Hillary.

But before anyone knew what was happening, Pidgeotto, who was determined to protect Tristan at all costs, rushed in front of him and took the full blast.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu gasped in worry as Pidgeotto got hit. Pidgeotto spread its wings wide and let out loud cry of determination as it began to glow in a bright white light.

 _(Music Cue: Route 11: The Road to Lavender Town)_

The light was so strong that it not only pushed the electric blast back, but it knocked Magneton and the Magnemite back, too.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were in shock as they looked on.

Pidgeotto then grew in size. The crest on its head grew to almost the exact length as its body. When the light dissipated, the crest on its head was yellow in the middle and red on the sides. Its tail feathers were all brown. It was now a whole lot bigger, and it squawked a strong cry of determination so loud that it shook the helicopters.

"Pidgeotto just evolved!" said Hillary excitedly.

"Into what?" wondered Tristan as he scanned his newly-evolved Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Pidgeot: The Bird Pokémon: The evolved form of Pidgeotto,"_ identified Dexter. _"It can fly at twice the speed of sound and an altitude of nearly one mile."_

"This is so awesome!" said Tristan.

"Pidgeot must have been willing take the hit so you wouldn't have to," replied Hillary.

Pidgeot spread its wings wide and lowered its body.

"What is it, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan.

"I think Pidgeot wants you to come with it," replied Hillary.

Tristan turned to Pidgeot and asked, "Is Hillary right?"

Pidgeot nodded.

"Then I'm ready," said Tristan. "Come on, Pikachu, let's go!"

Pikachu jumped on Tristan's shoulder as he climbed on Pidgeot's back.

"Let's go rescue Zapdos together!" shouted Tristan.

Tristan and Pikachu held on tight as Pidgeot flapped its wings and began taking off into the air.

"That's as far as you're gonna get, Team Rocket!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgeot squawked in agreement.

The Rocket Grunts trembled in fear as Pidgeot sped toward the helicopter.

"Looks like that birdbrain grew, and they're headed right for us!" shivered one of them.

"Oh, quit your bellyaching!" shouted the commanding Grunt. "Magnemite and Magneton, prepare to attack!"

The Magnemite and Magneton flew in front of Pidgeot as they began to charge for another electric blast.

"Go, Pidgeot, Gust attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeot furiously flapped its wings as big gusts of wind like hammers blew from them. One by one, the Magnemite kept getting pummeled by those powerful attacks. They were knocked out on the ground. Only Magneton was left standing, or floating as the case may be.

"Pidgeot, Quick Attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeot charged toward Magneton with a white line trailing behind it. Its Quick Attack was much faster than what it was in its previous stage. Pidgeot successfully scored a clean hit on Magneton, knocking it out.

"Now's our chance, Pidgeot," said Tristan. "Let's get Zapdos out of there."

Pidgeot quickly turned around and headed toward the net. Its large beak and talons sliced right through it like knives, freeing Zapdos on the spot.

"Way to go, Pidgeot," commended Tristan. "When it comes to battling in the sky, you're as good as the best."

Pidgeot replied happily.

Zapdos tried to aim an Electric attack at the helicopter, but the strain caused it to fail.

"No good," grunted Tristan. "Zapdos is too low on power to deal with Team Rocket."

"Blackout, blackout, Zapdos is a blackout!" taunted the Rocket Grunts in a sing-song voice.

That was when Pikachu leaped off of Pidgeot's back and landed on Zapdos, much to Tristan's surprise. Pikachu charged up electricity from its cheeks, but the sparks were larger than expected.

"Pikachu?" gasped Tristan.

"Pikachu must want to help Zapdos get its energy back, but I don't see how," said Hillary.

That was when Pikachu focused all its energy on Zapdos and fired on all cylinders. "Pikaaaaaaaaa...chuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

 _(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

Instantly, Zapdos felt the energy running through its body as it kept recharging with each passing second.

"Was that Thunderbolt?" wondered Tristan.

"It seemed like a more powerful Thunderbolt to me," answered Hillary. "This might be a coincidence, but I think Pikachu just learned a new attack."

"Maybe Dexter knows what it is," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Thunder: This attack uses a lot of electricity and is the most powerful Electric attack yet to be discovered."_

"So that's what a Thunder attack is like," said Tristan. "That may just be the power boost that Zapdos needs."

Pikachu kept using its Thunder attack on Zapdos, giving it more and more energy.

At last, Zapdos opened its eyes and showed off its newfound power in the sky.

"All right!" said Hillary. "Zapdos is fully charged again!"

Just as Zapdos prepared to launch a powerful electric attack of its own, Pikachu charged up its own power boost from the Magnemite and Magneton. They both combined their attacks into one supercharged blast and struck the helicopter, causing it to explode.

The Rocket Grunts screamed as they disappeared in the sky with a bright _ting!_ to mark their flight.

Pidgeot landed safely on the ground, and as it did, Tristan jumped off its back.

"You were awesome, Pidgeot," said Tristan.

Pidgeot replied happily.

Zapdos landed on the ground soon after, and Pikachu dismounted.

"That was incredible, Pikachu!" commended Hillary. "Way to go!"

Pikachu replied happily.

Tristan and Hillary were also amazed at Pikachu's incredible attack.

"Why was Pikachu's last Thunder attack more powerful than normal?" asked Tristan. He was a bit puzzled.

Hillary suddenly remembered. "I know!" she said. "Tristan, don't you remember when Pikachu took the hit for you and Pidgeotto? Pikachu must have known that you two were in danger, so it jumped in front of you so you wouldn't be hurt. Then, it used the power boost to not only revitalize Zapdos, but it also helped it to take care of Team Rocket."

"That explains it!" gasped Tristan.

Pikachu nodded at what Hillary just explained, then it collapsed on the ground from exhaustion to Tristan's worry.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" he asked.

Pikachu slowly opened its eyes and replied happily.

"You were great, pal," said Tristan. "You really helped us out today." Then he looked up at Zapdos, who began to take off into the darkened sky. "Hey, Zapdos, how are you doing, buddy?"

Zapdos roared its response happily as a free bird.

Tristan then turned to Pikachu. "It sounds like Zapdos is thanking you for the help," he said.

"Not just you and Pikachu, Tristan," said Hillary. "I think it's thanking your Pidgeot, too."

Zapdos nodded at Hillary's statement, and then it began flying off. As it did, the skies cleared up.

Tristan turned to Hillary and said, "Well, should we get going?"

"I think we should," replied Hillary.

"Then I think it would be best if we just flew to Celadon City," suggested Tristan. "Now that Pidgeot evolved we can make better time by flying to destinations we've already been to. It'll save us a ton of walking."

"I don't know," said Hillary uneasily. "I've never been very good with heights."

"Don't worry about it," assured Tristan. "Pidgeot's a safe Pokémon to fly on. It'll make sure we make it there safely. And if we fall off, it'll be able to catch us right away. Right, Pidgeot?"

Pidgeot squawked happily.

"Besides," continued Tristan, "we'll be able to get a good view from the air."

"Well, I suppose that's possible," said Hillary.

"I'll let you get on first, and then I'll get on right behind you," said Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Pidgeot lowered its body and held perfectly still so Hillary could get on its back. Tristan followed right behind her. Pikachu got on Tristan's shoulder.

"Now hold on tight to its back and I'll hold on tight to you," said Tristan.

"Okay," replied Hillary.

"Is everyone all set?" asked Tristan.

Everyone nodded.

"Then let's go," said Tristan.

Pidgeot then flapped its wings and gently gained altitude. It was very careful not to shake too much, especially since Tristan and Hillary weren't used to flying on its back yet.

The fresh air rushing smoothly over Tristan and Hillary felt good.

Tristan saw that Hillary had her eyes closed. "You can open your eyes, sis," he said. "Check out the cool view."

Hillary slowly opened her eyes and saw the wonderful view in the sky. "Wow," she said. "I never thought we'd get a beautiful sight from the sky."

"I told you we'd be able to fly in the sky someday," replied Tristan. "And thanks to Pidgeot, we finally can."

"Don't forget that you deserve part of the credit," smiled Hillary.

"I guess so," smiled Tristan. He turned to Pidgeot and said, "Thanks for taking us up here."

Pidgeot nodded at Tristan's gratitude.

"Now, let's go to Celadon City," said Tristan.

"I can't wait to get there," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with them as Pidgeot flew on.

* * *

 _A selfless mission to rescue the legendary Zapdos from Team Rocket has left Tristan with a newly evolved Pidgeot. And thanks to that experience, he and Hillary are flying high as they continue on their journey to Celadon City. It's the final leg of their long journey toward Saffron City and Tristan's sixth Gym Battle._

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Meanwhile, in a hideout not too far from a huge building in Saffron City, a man in an orange suit was waiting patiently. He was about ready to make his next big move. The man was, of course, Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket.

"Excellent," he said. "Saffron City is where I will rule the roost, and this time, nothing will stand in my way, not even those meddling kids." He paused for a second as he looked at a tall building in the distance. "Once the Silph Company is infiltrated, all of Saffron City will finally belong to me. And not only that, I will claim the ultimate prize...the Master Ball. With it, I will be able to catch any Pokémon without fail. Every Pokémon that gets in a Master Ball will be caught instantly. Every one of those Pokémon will be mine to command! Mufufufufufu...Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	30. Chapter 30: ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 30 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Kanto Region. Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader from "Pokémon Sent-Sation" and the old hippie from "Wake Uo, Snorlax," make appearances, but the hippie only has a minor role. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind, positive or negative, is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are almost to Saffron City, but they decide to spend the day enjoying the sights and smells with Gym Leader Erika and their grandmother, Veronica. Plus they pay a visit to Veronica's longtime friend.**

 ** _Chapter_** **30: THE ROAD TO SAFFRON CITY, PART 3**

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 Version 1 (first few measures))_

 _Tristan and Hillary have now arrived in Celadon City. It's the final leg of their long journey to Saffron City and Tristan's sixth Gym Battle._

"Thanks a lot for the ride, Pidgeot," said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu jumped off of Pidgeot's back.

Pidgeot nodded its reply.

"What did you think of flying for the very first time, sis?" asked Tristan to Hillary.

"I was a little nervous at first," answered Hillary, "but when I saw the great view in the sky and the wind blowing softly on my face, I felt really great. I want to do it again sometime."

"It sounds like a critic agrees, Pidgeot," said Tristan as he gently stroked it.

Pidgeot rubbed against Tristan to show its affection.

"You'd better rest for awhile in your Pokéball," said Tristan. "You must be tired."

Pidgeot nodded as a red energy beam shot out from the button on its Pokéball. The beam transformed Pidgeot into red energy and it shot back inside.

"Now let's go find a Pokémon Center," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary. "We've had a big day already, and I'm exhausted."

Pikachu agreed with them as it tagged along with Tristan and Hillary to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Center)_

"Hello, and welcome to my Pokémon Center," said Nurse Joy as Tristan and Hillary walked in. Then she opened her eyes wide as she saw who walked in. "Wait! I know you two. You're the two kids who helped rid Celadon City of that awful Team Rocket!"

"I guess word gets around quickly," replied Hillary.

"I was wondering if you could take care of my Pokémon," said Tristan.

"I'd be happy to take care of them for you," smiled Nurse Joy as she took Pikachu and Tristan's four Pokéballs into the examination room.

Tristan and Hillary sat down in one of the chairs in the lobby.

"Nurse Joy seems to be very nice," said Tristan.

"It seems that way for most of the Nurse Joys I've met," replied Hillary.

"Okay, what's our game plan for tomorrow?" asked Tristan.

"Well, you said it yourself, Tristan," replied Hillary. "As soon as we get a good night's sleep, we'll head straight for Saffron City first thing tomorrow morning. We could even fly on your Pidgeot."

"I guess it would save us some time and walking," said Tristan, "but don't we want to get some exercise ourselves?"

Hillary thought about it for a minute. "I guess we don't have to fly there if we don't have to."

"And besides," added Tristan. "We still have a problem of getting past the thirsty guards that are blocking the entrance to Saffron City in all directions."

"Thirsty?" said Hillary. Then she jumped up from one of the chairs and shouted, "Tristan, that's it!"

The other people were startled by the sudden outburst of excitement and turned toward Tristan and Hillary. They were now the center of attention.

Hillary blushed and said, "Oops! Sorry about that. You can go back to what you were doing."

They turned around and returned to their original activities.

Tristan turned to Hillary and whispered loudly to her, "What was that about? Do you want us kicked out of here?"

"Sorry, Tristan, but the word 'thirsty' gave me a sudden idea," replied Hillary. "You said the guards were thirsty, right?"

"Yes, I did," replied Tristan.

"So, if we were to give one of the guards a huge water bottle, soda pop, or lemonade, we'd be able to enter Saffron City without any trouble!" suggested Hillary. "It's genius!"

"Genius from whom?" asked Tristan.

"It was your idea," answered Hillary. "Tristan, big bro, you've done it again!"

Just then, the healing chimes rang and Nurse Joy came out.

"Good news, Tristan," she said. "Your Pokémon are as happy and healthy as can be. You've obviously taken very good care of them, even your Pidgeot."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

Nurse Joy turned to Hillary. "Hillary, I've never seen you so pumped before," she said.

"I guess I was just excited because Tristan just gave me a great idea to give a drink to one of the guards, and then, that guard would share it with the others," replied Hillary.

"That does make sense, seeing as how Saffron City is blocked in all directions," said Nurse Joy. "But before you set out tomorrow, why don't you guys get some sleep, and then, you'll be able to get out for some more adventures."

"We'll do that. Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Tristan and Hillary together.

Nurse Joy left the two kids and Pikachu alone.

"Well, sis, let's eat," said Tristan. "And besides, I'm starving."

"Me, too, Tristan, let's go," replied Hillary as she and Tristan set off for the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were up with the sun. As planned, they headed out of the Pokémon Center fully rejuvenated.

"Let's get some drinks from the Celadon Department Store," suggested Hillary.

"Okay," replied Tristan. "I know the guards at the entrances to Saffron City are going to need them, but maybe we should get some water for ourselves. Water's important for just about anything, you know."

 _(Music Cue: Poké Flute)_

Presently, they heard a faint sound of a flute being played.

"Listen," said Tristan. "Do you hear that, Hillary?"

"It sounds like a Poké Flute to me," replied Hillary.

"But it can't be," insisted Tristan. "I'm the only one who has a Poké Flute."

"Maybe you're not, Tristan," said Hillary. "Let's go over and see who's playing it."

And they dashed posthaste to where the sound of the Poké Flute was located.

* * *

Celadon City was a big city, much bigger than they had anticipated since the last time they were there. They had explored part of it in the past in the wake of Tristan's fourth Gym battle win. After several minutes, plus many twists and turns, they eventually made it to the source. It turned out to be an old hippie with a beard and mustache. He was accompanied by something really big and heavy.

"It's a Snorlax!" said Tristan. "And it's sleeping!"

"But who's that with it?" asked Hillary.

They continued to listen to the beautiful music coming from the old hippie's Poké Flute. The Snorlax opened up its eyes and got up on its feet.

"That's it, Snorlax," the old hippie said. "It's time to eat and run." He turned to Tristan and Hillary, who were standing behind him. "Well, I see a couple of youngins who liked my music."

"Yes we did," replied Hillary.

"So is this your Snorlax?" asked Tristan to the hippie.

"Yes it is," answered the hippie. "I heard reports that a Snorlax was blocking the road between here and Fuschia City, so I decided to come and wake it up so it could get out of here. So are you youngsters headed to Fuschia City, too?"

"Actually, we've already been to Fuschia City, sir," replied Hillary.

"We had to make a detour through Lavender Town, and then we encountered another Snorlax there," added Tristan.

"I bet that's a wild Snorlax who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," smiled the hippie. "Were you able to wake it up and catch it?"

"Yes, I was," answered Tristan, "although I had to use a Poké Flute of my own in order to do it."

"Well, it's too bad I wasn't able to find you at the time," said the hippie.

"It's okay," replied Hillary. "We managed."

"Anyway," continued Tristan, "we went south of Lavender Town on the pier where people fished and caught Pokémon, and that's where I caught the Snorlax."

"Then we headed west and arrived in Fuschia City," added Hillary.

"I battled Koga there and earned a Soul Badge," finished Tristan.

The hippie seemed intrigued. "It's fascinating that you youngins have been able to find a way around a very big and heavy problem," he said. "Now that my Snorlax is awake, the citizens of Fuschia City will be able to go between here and Fuschia City with no trouble. Well, I'll catch you on the flip side. Come on, Snorlax, there's food to eat." And he and Snorlax slowly walked away, for it takes a while for most Snorlax to move about.

"That guy seemed to be very nice," remarked Tristan.

"I know," added Hillary, "especially with how he plays his music."

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Now, what were we about to do again?" asked Tristan.

"Don't you remember, Tristan?" replied Hillary. "We were going to get some of those drinks for the guards and ourselves."

"Oh, yeah, that's right," said Tristan. "Come on, guys. We'll retrace our steps and go back to where we started. Then we'll find the Celadon City Department Store."

And off they all went.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

Most people would have a hard time navigating through Celadon City, but Tristan and Hillary managed to find their way around, which wasn't a bad record to have for a couple of kids. They arrived at the Celadon City Department Store in good time.

"Let's go inside," said Hillary.

They went inside the store only to find a big surprise. They gasped in shock at who they saw at one of the tables inside.

"Oh, Erika, this is just wonderful." It was Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother. She was having a lovely conversation with Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader.

"Oh, I don't know, Veronica," replied Erika. "I think this one would be much more charming for your home."

"Grandma!" said Tristan and Hillary excitedly as they ran to them.

Veronica turned around and said, "Well, this is a surprise. What are you two doing here?"

"We just came in the store to see if there are drinks available," replied Tristan. "We weren't expecting to see you and Erika here."

"Hi, kids," smiled Erika as she turned toward Tristan and Hillary. "It's nice to see the both of you again."

"It's nice to see you, too, Erika," replied Hillary. "How have you been?"

"I've been very well," said Erika. "Your grandmother was just telling me about you."

"I wanted to go to Celadon City because the house back home was running low on that perfume that I love so much," explained Veronica, "but I wasn't sure how to get there. So I called Erika and she said that she'd offer me a ride here."

"I always wanted to take a break from being a Gym Leader every once in a while," smiled Erika. "This was just the perfect excuse to do it. And now, your grandmother and I have hit things off very well."

"Let's see if we can get some..." Tristan began.

But Veronica interrupted him. "Come on, everyone, let's go get that perfume!" and she twirled away in excitement.

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"What's with Grandma?" asked Tristan.

"Beats me," replied Hillary. "Maybe it's the fountain of youth?"

"We've gotta try and keep up with her," said Erika as she took Tristan and Hillary by the hands. "Come on!" And off they went to follow Veronica.

* * *

Veronica was the first person to enter the perfume shop. "I love this place," she said to herself. Then she called out, "Come on, you slowpokes, you're lagging behind!"

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Erika came in behind her. They collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

"Where does Grandma get that energy?" moaned Hillary.

"Let's just be glad we're here," groaned Tristan.

"You're telling me," added Erika.

 _(Music Cue: Goofball Alert)_

Veronica excitedly went from shelf to shelf to look and smell the beautiful scents of each of the perfumes. "This is great! I love this place! This perfume looks good. No, maybe this one looks better. Maybe this one's the best one. No, maybe that one?"

"Don't they all smell the same?" asked Tristan.

"To the untrained nose, maybe," answered Veronica as she startled Tristan. "But for someone who has a sensitive nose like I do, there are wonderful scents and smells that can be differentiated." She pointed to the perfumes one at a time. "This one has the wonderful scent of the ocean. This one has the smell of citrus fruit. This one smells like wonderful flowers. And this one has the smell of fresh greenery, which happens to be my personal favorite.

"So you see," said Veronica, "every perfume has its own unique scent."

"I'm amazed at your knowledge of perfume, Veronica," smiled Erika.

"Thanks, Erika," replied Veronica. "But I think you deserve most of the credit."

Hillary was surprised. "You taught Grandma all that stuff, Erika?"

Erika nodded and smiled, "That's right."

"I sure never expected to have a perfume expert in the family," mused Tristan.

* * *

A few hours later, everyone got out of the Celadon City Department Store, although it took a lot of effort to take Veronica out of there.

"At least I got my share of perfume!" squealed Veronica in delight.

Hillary and Tristan were very despondent.

"We were supposed to get drinks for those guards while travelling to Saffron City," fumed Tristan.

"Instead, we wasted our time getting some useless perfume for Grandma in the store," added Hillary.

"What was that, children?!" glared Veronica warningly to Tristan and Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary cringed.

"Nothing," said Tristan. "We were just admiring your taste for perfume. Right, sis?"

"Yeah, that's right, Tristan," laughed Hillary nervously.

Erika came to Tristan and Hillary. "Don't worry about your grandmother, kids," said Erika. "She's the world's biggest fan of perfume. She can get a little carried away sometimes, and I'm sure you like the scents, too. I just wasn't expecting you to come to the store today."

 _(Music Cue: Unconditional Love)_

Veronica's expression of happiness turned into an expression of concern about what Erika had said. "I guess you're right, Erika," she replied. "I guess I did get carried away. It seems that the children may be a little annoyed with me." She turned to Tristan and Hillary, who seemed pretty grumpy. "Hey, kids, I wasn't expecting you to tag along with Erika and me. I know you two have been on a journey, and I was so excited to see you that I got a little selfish with the whole perfume experience, and I feel like I did something to hurt your feelings. Did I?

Tristan and Hillary nodded.

"Was it because of me getting a whole bag of perfume instead of those drinks at the Department Store?" asked Veronica.

Tristan and Hillary nodded again.

"I'm sorry, children," said Veronica. "I never realized that you two had things to do. I really didn't mean to hold you up today." A tear fell from Veronica's right eye. She obviously felt ashamed of herself. "Can you two ever forgive an old woman like me?"

"Oh, Grandma," replied Hillary, "of course we do."

"You're our grandmother," added Tristan. "And we always love you. I was just so psyched to get some of those drinks from the store so we can get to Saffron City, but I wasn't expecting to get perfume instead."

An idea suddenly struck Veronica. "I know of an old friend of mine who lives at the Celadon Mansion. And I'd like to invite you two and Erika personally as my guests for tea. Would you like to come?"

"I guess that would be all right," replied Tristan.

"Yeah, we'd like to come," added Hillary.

"I would, too," finished Erika.

"Then let's go together," said Veronica as she led everyone to the Celadon Mansion.

* * *

A half hour later, Veronica and the others got inside the mansion and took the elevator.

"This is where my friend lives," said Veronica. "It's a big place, and my friend usually takes the elevator to get up and down the stairs. She doesn't get around as well as she used to when she was your age."

Presently, the elevator reached the top floor and everyone inside got out.

"My friend lives in the first door on the right," Veronica said. She knocked on the door.

"Yes?" asked an old woman's voice.

"Amy, it's Veronica, and I have a few guests I'd like you to meet," called Veronica.

The door opened and out stepped an old woman with glasses on her face and a purple hand-stitched beret on her head. She carried a cane with her. She seemed very kind. "Hello, Veronica," she said. "Who are these guests?"

"Amy, I'd like you to meet my grandchildren, Tristan and Hillary, and the Celadon Gym Leader, Erika," said Veronica.

"Hi, there," said Tristan and Hillary.

"It's nice to meet you, Amy," added Erika.

"It's nice to meet you, too," replied Amy.

"Tristan's a Pokémon Trainer," explained Veronica. "He's working hard to challenge the eight Gyms all over Kanto so he can compete in the Pokémon League."

"That's interesting," remarked Amy. "How many badges do you have, dear?"

"I have five already, and I plan to go for my sixth badge in Saffron City next," answered Tristan as he showed Amy his collection of badges.

"That's impressive," said Amy. "I assume that he battled you in the Celadon Gym recently, Erika?"

Erika nodded. "Tristan's Charmander was awesome. It evolved into Charmeleon during the final round and it won the match for him."

"Interesting," replied Amy. "It must have been a great battle. Speaking of battles, I have a Pokémon I'd like you all to meet. Eevee, darling, come on over!"

A mammalian Pokémon with brown fur came out from one of the rooms to Amy's feet and showed its affection.

"Wow, so that's an Eevee," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Eevee: The Evolution Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"It has the potential to evolve into any one of three different Pokémon."_

"I wonder what Dexter meant by one of three?" asked Hillary.

Tristan continued looking in his Pokédex.

 _"Eevee evolves into one of three Pokémon depending on what stone_ _Using a Fire Stone will evolve Eevee into Flareon, the Flame Pokémon._ _A Water Stone will evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, the Bubble Jet Pokémon._ _A Thunder Stone will evlove Eevee into Jolteon, the Lightning Pokémon."_

"I also learned that some new forms of Eevee have been recently discovered," added Veronica.

"I didn't know that," said Tristan.

"Well, as soon as you finish up your journey through Kanto, you and Hillary ought to explore the Johto region," suggested Veronica. "It's very rich in history, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your travels there."

"We'll try and do that," replied Tristan.

"But first, it's Saffron City that's on our minds," reminded Hillary.

Just then a white light shot out of Veronica's pocket. It materialized into her own Eevee. It had sensed the other Eevee, who had recently appeared. The two Eevee rubbed against one another to show their affection.

"Wow, Veronica, I didn't know you had an Eevee with you, too," remarked Amy.

"I really love Eevee," replied Veronica. "I've always wanted to be an Eevee trainer. After Tristan and Hillary left on their Pokémon journey, I've wanted to get back into battling. And seeing how Eevee had gotten along so well with all of us, I thought I should train some more of my Pokémon.

"Well, then, could I ask a favor?" said Amy.

Veronica nodded. "Go ahead."

 _(Music Cue: Legend (Version 2))_

"Well, a few weeks ago, I found this Eevee who had been very dirty and frightened," explained Amy. "I guess it must have been abandoned."

Everyone felt sad as Amy continued her story.

* * *

"I tried to take Eevee to the Pokémon Center as fast as I could," continued Amy, "but along the way, I sprained my ankle. Fortunately, Nurse Joy saw us and took us to the Pokémon Center in her car. Later, I had my leg bandaged up and it felt better, but thanks to that fall, I didn't feel quite as mobile as I used to be."

* * *

"I was happy to take care of this Eevee, but I've been so worried about tripping over it that I didn't want either of us to get hurt. And the space is so small that I get twice as worried about it," finished Amy.

"That's too bad," said Tristan sadly.

"We never knew that this was hard for you," added Hillary.

"So I was wondering, Veronica," said Amy. "Would you be willing to be the owner of this wonderful Eevee? It won't be a burden to you. I promise."

Veronica's eyes teared up. "I'd love to have this adorable Eevee," she beamed. "Come here, you two."

The two Eevee leaped into Veronica's arms with joy.

Veronica said to the second Eevee, "I think we're all going to get along very well together." She took out a second Pokéball. The second Eevee touched the button, and as it did, it transformed into red energy and disappeared into it.

Hillary was pleased. "Looks like you have a new friend, Grandma," she said.

"Thank you, dear," replied Veronica as she got into a victory pose. She proudly proclaimed, "I got an Eevee: another one!"

Eevee cheered happily.

"Hey, no fair copying my pose," complained Tristan.

"I know you'll take good care of that Eevee, Veronica," said Amy.

"Thanks, Amy," replied Veronica.

Amy turned to Tristan and Hillary. "I have something for the two of you." She handed them two tea bags. "This is my handmade tea. Give it to one of the guards at one of Saffron City's entrances. They'll like it very much."

"Thanks a lot," replied Hillary. "We certainly appreciate it." She turned to Tristan and Pikachu. "Now we can go into Saffron City."

"All right," said Tristan. "As soon as we get there, I'm going to win my sixth badge."

"Pi-Pikachu!" proclaimed Pikachu.

"As your grandmother would say, Tristan," said Amy, "'I know you can do it.'"

Everyone laughed after that.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

An hour later, everyone stood at the edge of Celadon City, preparing to bid it farewell. Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu prepared to head to Saffron City while Erika prepared to take Veronica back to New Bark Town in the Johto region.

"Thanks for spending time with me today, children," said Veronica. "I know it wasn't the best time we ever had, but we all got what we wanted."

"We were just glad to see you and Erika, Grandma," replied Hillary.

"Yeah," added Tristan. "Things wouldn't be the same without you."

"Your grandfather will love the second Eevee coming into the house," said Veronica.

"I bet he would," replied Hillary.

"I wish you success in your upcoming Gym Battle in Saffron City, Tristan," said Erika.

"Thanks a lot, Erika," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

Tristan and Hillary waved goodbye as Erika's car drove away. After it was out of sight, they left Celadon City smelling all the wonderful scents for the last time.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket Boss Meeting)_

Meanwhile, in a hideout not far from Saffron City, a man in an orange suit was waiting patiently as he was about ready to make his next big move. It was Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. He was watching Saffron City and its residents very carefully.

"It's a matter of time now," he said.

Presently, he turned to another screen. Who should appear on it but Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who were about to arrive. They didn't know that they were being watched by him. He smiled a wicked smile.

"This couldn't have turned out any better," smiled Giovanni. "The kids are almost there. And soon, they'll be just in time to watch me take over the entire city. Saffron City, the Silph Company...but the big prize I'm after is the Master Ball. Soon, we'll have all the Master Balls, and we'll catch every rare Pokémon imaginable. And once we do, Team Rocket will rule the entire world. Mufufufufufufu."

* * *

Some time later, as the sun set, Tristan and Hillary saw a big city with tall buildings.

"Finally," said Tristan. "Saffron City."

"We finally made it," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with them as they walked toward the guard who was guarding the entrance.

"Oh, boy," said the officer as he wiped his head. "I'm working up a huge sweat today."

"Excuse us," said Hillary, "but we have something that you'd like."

She and Tristan got their teabags out of their backpacks and handed it to the officer.

"That's tea, my favorite drink!" said the officer. "I can have this?"

"Sure you can," replied Tristan.

The officer squeezed the tea out of the bags and into his mug. He gulped it down and said, "Thanks so much, kids. If you want to head into Saffron CIty, you can go through now. I'll share this tea with the other guards."

"Thanks a lot," replied Hillary.

As soon as Hillary thanked him, Giovanni spoke into his earpiece. "Now."

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss")_

The officer took off his uniform and revealed another uniform in black with a red letter R on it. He was a Team Rocket Grunt.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"You're no officer, you're Team Rocket!" shouted Tristan as he pointed to him.

"That's correct, you fools," replied the Rocket Grunt. "Now Saffron City belongs to us." He spoke into his headset. "Okay, guys, open season!"

"Open season?" trembled Tristan. "What's that mean?"

"It means Saffron City is about to get the takeover of its life!" replied Hillary.

Sure enough, hundreds of Rocket Grunts came from all directions into Saffron City. The residents ran in terror and bolted their doors. One of the Rocket Grunts blocked the entrance to the Saffron City Gym while others stood in front of other houses. The rest of the Rocket Grunts went into the tallest building in Saffron City: the Silph Company.

Tristan and Hillary were outraged.

"How could we be fooled by the likes of you?!" fumed Hillary.

"Just lucky," answered the Rocket Grunt.

Presently, a helicopter could be heard from the sky. The Rocket Grunt smiled while Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock.

"That's my cue!" laughed the Rocket Grunt as he left his post and dashed into Saffron City.

Tristan and Hillary tried to shield themselves from the wind that blew from the helicopter's blades. "What's going on here?" they shouted over the noise.

An evil laugh was heard over the helicopter's loudspeaker.

Tristan immediately knew who it was. "Giovanni!" he fumed.

"I'm glad you're here, you fools," replied Giovanni. "Now this place belongs to Team Rocket!" He laughed as the helicopter started to roar off.

"Wait, come back here!" shouted Tristan.

But Tristan and Hillary could only watch helplessly as the helicopter carrying Giovanni flew away.

* * *

 _Just as Tristan and Hillary celebrated their arrival into Saffron City, Team Rocket has struck once again, and is now creating a crisis of major proportions! How will Giovanni proceed with his evil plan? And will Tristan and Hillary be able to stop him from getting what he wants? Don't miss the exciting battle for Saffron City beginning next time!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	31. Chapter 31:TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER, PART1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 31 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their way through the Kanto region. Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet make appearances in this chapter. Giovanni also makes an appearance. Are you wanting to know what happens with the Team Rocket trio after they get sent along the rail from Goldenrod City to Saffron City by Ash Ketchum and Pikachu's Thunder attack? This is your "Goldenrod" opportunity to find out what happens to them between the episodes "A Goldenrod Opportunity" and "A Dairy Tale Ending." As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary begin the daunting task of driving Team Rocket out of Saffron City. But is Team Rocket too much for them to handle?**

 **Chapter 31: TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Cold Blood)_

 _Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu finally made it to Saffron City. It was here that Tristan hoped to win his sixth Gym Badge. Eagerly anticipating the excitement of the upcoming Gym Battle, Tristan and Hillary each gave a tea bag to an officer guarding the entrance to Saffron City because he was thirsty for a drink. But as soon as he did, Tristan and Hillary were in for a nasty surprise. The guard took off his officer disguise and revealed himself to be none other than a member of Team Rocket. Having received his latest order from Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, he and the other Team Rocket members took over Saffron City in a heartbeat while the majority of them went into the Silph Company. And to make things even worse, Giovanni himself appeared on the scene. Tristan and Hillary found themselves helpless to stop Giovanni and Team Rocket as they stormed Saffron City. What is Team Rocket's nefarious plan this time? And will Tristan and Hillary find a way to stop them before things go way out of control?_

* * *

Tristan slammed his fist into the ground hard in frustration as Giovanni's helicopter flew out of sight. "It's all my fault," he said. "I should have known that we were going to be ambushed by that guy, and not just us. Now all of Saffron City is in Team Rocket's grip."

"Don't blame yourself, Tristan," Hillary assured him. "Neither of us knew that he was a member of Team Rocket."

"Yeah, but there are so many of them," said Tristan. "We'll never be able to drive them out of here. There are two of us against hundreds of them."

"We'll find a way to beat 'em," replied Hillary as she put her hands on Tristan's shoulders. "Remember, you have Pokémon friends who'll be able to help you out, including Pikachu."

Pikachu agreed with Hillary.

"Anyway," continued Hillary. "in order to beat Team Rocket, we'll need to keep calm, stay focused, and show Team Rocket who's boss."

Tristan took a few deep breaths to regain his composure. "All right," he said at last. "If everyone's ready, then let's go."

And he and Hillary walked carefully into the streets of Saffron City.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

Meanwhile, inside the Silph Company, an old man watched in horror as one Rocket Grunt after another ran inside damaging everything in sight. They didn't care who or what they hurt. They forced many of the employees into hiding. He was the Silph Company's president.

"This is just awful!" he exclaimed. "Who would do something like this?"

His secretary was just as horrified as the president was. "Only someone who doesn't have a heart!" she replied.

"It's that Team Rocket I've been hearing about," said the president. "And the Lapras we keep down there must be scared and crying right now."

Sure enought, a teal Pokémon with flippers, a cream underside, and a shell on its back trembled in fright at the appearance of the Team Rocket Grunts going in, one after another.

"We have to find a way to stop them before we find more trouble," replied the secretary.

"More trouble has found you!" laughed a sinister voice.

The president and the secretary turned around to see a man wearing an orange suit: Giovanni.

"Who are you?" demanded the president.

"And what do you want here?" added the secretary.

"I want you to come with me," replied Giovanni. "Or else." He snapped his fingers.

At the sound of the snap, a feline Pokémon with six whiskers and a ruby gem on its forehead leaped out of nowhere and pounced, but the president and secretary dodged it in time. It was Giovanni's Persian.

"There's no need to attack us like that!" exclaimed the president as he kept his cool. "We don't have to go with you if we don't want to!"

The secretary, however, was visibly scared.

"You two don't have a choice in the matter," replied Giovanni. "And I highly suggest you come quietly. I need you to lead me to the board room, and I have some propositions for you; however, I will give them to you if you give me what I want."

The president and secretary grunted in frustration as they tried to find a way out of this situation.

* * *

Meanwhile at another part of the city, a small electric-powered handcar sped out of a dark tunnel. There were four figures on that car. One had long red hair, one had blue hair, one had a gold charm and whiskers, and one had a soft cyan body with a jagged lips. They were Jessie, James, Meowth, and a Wobuuffet, which was recently discovered. They screamed as they braced themselves for a 150-mile-an-hour impact as they crashed into a brick wall. The handcar was smashed into smithereens while the four figures were sent flying out of the Magnet Train Station, which was almost finished with construction.

"We're blasting off again!" they yelled as they flew through the air. The four figures eventually crash landed on one of the streets in Saffron City. They all groaned in pain, but little did they know that they were near the entrance of the Silph Company.

"Well, that was painful," grumbled Jessie.

"That Twerp always ruins our plans...and us!" complained James. "Just when we had Pikachu, that Clefairy had to blow it away from us!"

"Then that Twerp had Pikachu use one of its signature Thunder attacks..." moaned Jessie. "...and made us go too fast and free."

"I told you dat da handcar was gonna take quite a toll," said Meowth. "And I was right."

"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet.

"Back inside," grumbled Jessie as she held out Wobbuffet's Pokéball. The red energy beam shot out from the button and hit Wobbuffet, transforming it into red energy and disappeared inside.

"Look, it's Team Rocket!" shouted a voice. It belonged to Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu headed right for them.

"The other Twerps...just great!" complained Jessie.

"What do we do?" asked James.

"Quick, let's get inside dat tall building!" suggested Meowth.

"Good idea," replied Jessie and James.

The three Team Rocket agents started running. In no time, they dashed inside the Silph Company and shut the door.

"Get out here right now!" demanded Hillary.

"Do you think that's where Team Rocket is planning its next attack?" whispered Tristan.

"Maybe, but this place is crawling with Team Rocket members," replied Hillary. "We have to find a way to get past them."

"Hey, you two!" shouted a voice. It belonged to a woman wearing police attire.

Tristan and Hillary looked behind them.

"It's Officer Jenny," said Hillary, "but why is she here?"

"So you're the ones responsible for allowing Team Rocket in Saffron City!" accused Officer Jenny.

"Wait!" stuttered Tristan. "That's not true! We were deceived ourselves!"

"Spare me your lies!" shouted Officer Jenny as she threw a Pokéball. "Growlithe, burn those criminals with your Flamethrower!"

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Shell Shock"))_

Growlithe materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and immediately unleashed a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who ducked just in time.

"Hey, what are you attacking us for? We're telling you we didn't do it!" insisted Tristan.

"More lies!" countered Officer Jenny. "Growlithe, Flamethrower!"

Growlithe launched another stream of fire from its mouth at them again, but they ducked out of the way like before.

"I don't think she's going to listen to us, Tristan," said Hillary. "We'd better make a run for it."

"Right," replied Tristan as he, Pikachu, and Hillary dashed away from Officer Jenny and Growlithe as fast as their legs would carry them.

"Come back here..." demanded Officer Jenny, "...or you'll face severe consequences!"

"Quick, Tristan, in here!" said Hillary as she the others ran inside the Silph Company and shut the door.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all panted wearily as they sat down to rest.

"Wow, that was close!" said Tristan.

"That was enough exercise to last for the rest of my life," moaned Hillary.

After they stopped panting, there was silence.

"This place is very quiet," remarked Tristan.

"Maybe a little too quiet," added Hillary.

Just then, they heard a gentle, but frightened cry.

"Listen, Hillary," said Tristan. "What's that sound?"

Then, they heard the cry again.

"It sounds like a Pokémon in distress," replied Hillary.

"But where is it coming from?" asked Tristan.

Then, Tristan and Hillary saw a huge fountain near the entrance. In it swam a large teal Pokémon with a cream underside. It looked like a plesiosaur with a hard gray shell on its back.

"In there, Tristan!" exclaimed Hillary. "Quick, let's go take a look!"

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu raced to the fountain to see if they could help the Pokémon in distress.

Tristan was awed by the size of the Pokémon. "Wow, I've never seen anything so big," he said.

"Maybe Dexter knows what it is," added Hillary.

Tristan took his Pokédex out of his pocket and scanned the Pokémon with it.

 _"Lapras: The Transport Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This intellectually advanced Pokémon is able to understand human speech. With its mild temperament, Lapras prefers to carry humans on its back rather than engage in Pokémon battles."_

Tristan and Hillary noticed Lapras shaking.

"Do you think Lapras is okay?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"I don't know, Tristan," replied Hillary. "It must be frightened of something."

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Tristan walked closer to the Lapras. "Hi, there," he said.

But Lapras turned away from Tristan and started swimming away from him.

"Hold on, Lapras!" called Tristan. "We won't hurt you!"

But no matter where Tristan and Hillary went, Lapras swam away from them.

"Something terrible must have happened to make Lapras behave this way," said Hillary sadly.

"Yeah, but what?" wondered Tristan as he and Hillary looked on.

Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth saw Tristan and Hillary a safe distance away.

"Looks like dose twoips found demselves a Lapras," remarked Meowth. "Dat Pokémon's a pretty rare find."

"Didn't the Twerp have a Lapras at some point?" asked Jessie.

"I think he did," replied James. "I remember the last time we had to deal with a Lapras school back on the Orange Islands. Those pirates messed up our day and our submarine."

"Well, I say we catch it and get it straight to the Boss!" suggested Jessie.

"And the Boss isn't too far away," added James.

"And while we do dat, we should bag ourselves a Pikachu!" finished Meowth.

"Wobbu, Wob!" agreed Wobbuffet as it popped out from out of nowhere.

Jessie, James, and Meowth were most annoyed.

"Meowth said Pikachu, not you!" whispered Jessie loudly as she took out Wobbuffet's Pokéball. "Get back in your ball!"

The Pokéball shot a beam of energy at Wobbuffet, which transformed into red energy and disappeared inside.

It was then that Tristan heard rustling coming from one of the indoor plants. This made him suspicious.

"Hillary, did you hear something?" asked Tristan.

"I think so," replied Hillary. "Let's check it out."

As Tristan and Hillary crept closer to the plant, the Team Rocket trio cringed in fear.

"What do we do?" whispered James.

"I don't know," replied Jessie. "Any ideas, Meowth?"

"Let's just get outta here!" screamed Meowth as he, Jessie and James jumped out.

"It's Team Rocket!" gasped Tristan and Hillary.

"Pipi-kachu!" exclaimed Pikachu.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Let's go, Victreebel!" yelled James as he threw a Pokéball.

Victreebel materialized from the white light that shot out of it, but as soon as it came out, it immediately proceeded to bite down on James.

"Victreebel, please get off!" screamed James. "Get the twerps!"

"Charmeleon, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball of his own.

Charmeleon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Victreebel, use your Razor Leaf attack!" commanded James.

Victreebel shot a flurry of razor sharp leaves at Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth. The red-hot flame burned the leaves in an instant.

"It's up to you, Wobbuffet!" smiled Jessie as she threw a Pokéball.

Wobbuffet materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had a soft blue body. Its black tail had eyes on it.

Tristan was surprised. "Who's that Pokémon?" he asked as he tried to scan Wobbuffet with his Pokédex.

 _"Pokemon unknown. No available data,"_ replied Dexter.

"Well that doesn't tell us much," fumed Hillary. "Wobbuffet must be a Pokémon that lives in the Johto region."

"Be very careful, Charmeleon," advised Tristan. "There's no telling what that Pokémon can do."

Charmeleon nodded in reply.

"Charmeleon, try another Flamethrower attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon unleashed another powerful hot stream of fire from its mouth.

"Counter it!" commanded Jessie to Wobbuffet.

Wobbuffet raised its tail and its outline glowed in a pink color. The instant Charmeleon's Flamethrower attack hit it, it was bounced back to where it came from. Just as Charmeleon saw the attack coming, it was too late to dodge it for its own attack forced it backward into one of the walls.

"Charmeleon, no!" gasped Tristan.

"That Counter attack was really strong!" added Hillary.

"Now for da Lapras!" smiled Meowth as he launched a huge rocket-propelled net. The net opened and enveloped Lapras in it, trapping it inside.

"Lapras!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary.

"Smoke 'em out with your Smokescreen, Weezing!" commanded James as he threw another Pokéball.

Weezing materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball and shot a big green cloud of smoke from its two mouths at Tristan and his friends, who tried to catch their breath.

When the Smokescreen cleared, Tristan and Hillary noticed that Lapras and Team Rocket were gone. This made them worry.

"Lapras!" shouted Tristan. "Where are you?" His voice echoed throughout the entire building.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss Meeting)_

Meanwhile in the board room on the top floor of the building, Giovanni was talking with the president and secretary.

"Now about this proposition I have for you..." he began.

"We don't care about any proposition!" fumed the president. "You didn't have to attack us!"

Giovanni chuckled. "I never said I was going to _attack_ you," he said. "Sometimes, my Persian just has a mind of its own. Except when it is ordered to attack its enemies. Persian just loves getting rewarded for doing the hard work."

Giovanni's Persian purred as it was petted by him.

"But why did you force us in here in the first place?" insisted the secretary.

"You see," replied Giovanni, "I've been doing a little research on this so-called top-secret prototype that you've been working on. This product has the ability to catch any Pokémon without fail."

The president gasped in shock. "You're talking about the Master Ball, aren't you?"

Giovanni chuckled. "Well, it appears I've been getting pretty nosy haven't I? All right then, here's what I'm proposing, and I want you to think very hard on it."

"Just what are you up to?" asked the secretary suspiciously.

"Here's my proposal," replied Giovanni. "I want you to give me the plans for this Master Ball and the entire building."

The president and secretary both gasped in shock.

"Don't worry," smiled Giovanni. "If you do, I will pay a big amount of money to you, and promise not to lay any harm on you or any of your employees when they exit the building. Or maybe you're so heartless you don't care what happens to the Lapras in the fountain."

"Oh, please don't hurt our baby Lapras!" pleaded the secretary. "We'll do whatever you want us to do!"

"We'll do what you say, just please leave the Lapras alone!" added the president.

Giovanni chuckled. "It sounds like you made a wise decision. All right, get me all the documents you have on the Master Ball and make it snappy."

The president and secretary grunted.

* * *

Back on the first floor, Tristan slammed his fist on the ground in frustration. He was beginning to doubt himself as tears began to fall from his eyes.

"I can't believe this has happened," Tristan moped. "First I let Team Rocket into Saffron City, then the Team Rocket Trio makes off with the Lapras when it needed help...I let all of Saffron City down not just once, but twice! I must be the rottenest person in the world."

"No you're not, Tristan, and you shouldn't blame yourself like that," said Hillary comfortingly. "Neither of us knew that Team Rocket was going to take over Saffron City, and neither of us knew that Jessie had an undiscovered Pokémon like Wobbuffet in her arsenal. We'll save that Lapras and this building for sure, but you've got to regain your focus."

Even Pikachu comforted Tristan by wiping the tears from his eyes. Tristan felt better after that. "Thanks, guys," he said. "Now I'm ready to take Team Rocket on."

"That's the spirit," said Hillary.

"There's no time to lose," said Tristan. "Let's go." And he, Hillary, and Pikachu quickly made their way up the stairs to the second floor.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Secret Strategy (version 2) as heard in Pallet Party Panic)_

Meanwhile on another floor of the building, Jessie, James, and Meowth were happy about their latest victory.

"Dose twoips didn't know what hit 'em!" said Meowth. "Wobbuffet's more useful dan we thought!"

"You're right for a change," agreed Jessie. "Wobbuffet did get us out of a jam."

"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet as it popped out of its Pokéball.

"On second thought, maybe I should jam this Pokéball shut," grumbled Jessie as she returned Wobbuffet into its Pokéball yet again."

"This building is so confusing," said James. "How are we supposed to find our way around here?"

Just then, a group of four Rocket Grunts passed by.

Jessie, James, and Meowth were ecstatic.

"It's some of our friends!" cooed Jessie.

"This must be Team Rocket property!" added James. "Maybe they can show us around!"

"Which means, da Boss must be nearby!" finished Meowth. "Let's take da Lapras and go find him!"

And off they went to try and find Giovanni, hoping against all odds that they would be promoted for bringing Lapras to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and Hillary climbed a few flights of stairs to the fifth floor.

"Those three have got to be around here somewhere," said Tristan.

"If nothing else, those three are good at running," added Hillary. "I don't know about you, but I think something else is going on here."

"Yes, but what?" asked Tristan. "And why?"

"Well, we're not sure about that just yet," replied Hillary, "but whatever it is, we've got to drive them all out of here."

"But how?" asked Tristan.

"Stop right there!" demanded a voice.

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (first part)_

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see that voice belonged to a Rocket Grunt. He had at least six others with him.

"Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Now what do we do?" asked Hillary.

"How about you surrendering so we can take you to the Boss?" suggested the Rocket Grunt as he and the others charged right for them.

"How about you try Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack on for size?" countered Tristan as Pikachu leaped forward.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow stream of electricity shot out from its body at the Rocket Grunts, who felt the powerful jolt. They all collapsed in a heap.

"I guess that's how we can drive them out of here," said Tristan.

"Come on, Tristan," said Hillary. "Let's go get that Lapras!" And off they went.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found themselves on the seventh floor. There were more Rocket Grunts than the seven they encountered last time.

"Those guys must be part of their security squad," whispered Hillary.

"How do we get rid of them without them noticing us?' asked Tristan.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "But it seems the higher we go, the harder this gets."

"What do you mean by harder?" asked Tristan.

Hillary's eyes opened wide. "Um, how about _them_ showing up?"

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

Sure enough, four Rocket Grunts came from out of nowhere and announced, "We are the four Rocket Brothers! We are quadruplets!"

"I'm Barry!" said the first Grunt.

"I'm Gary!" said the second Grunt.

"I'm Harry!" said the third Grunt.

"And I'm Larry!" said the fourth Grunt.

"We take down good guys together!" they all shouted together.

"Four of them against two of us," said Hillary. "They have us outnumbered."

"But we have something they don't," replied Tristan. "The friendship between humans and Pokémon."

Pikachu agreed with them.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan and Hillary find themselves with several problems at once. They are now surrounded by four Team Rocket brothers. Not only that, they have the problem of pursuing a stolen baby Lapras, which was taken away by Jessie, James, and Meowth. How will they stop Team Rocket? And what is the fate of the Silph Company president and secretary who are trapped by Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni? This adventure is only just beginning, so stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	32. Chapter 32:TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER, PART2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 32 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Kanto region. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues appear. Jessie, James, and Meowth, as well as Giovanni from the anime make appearances in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan begins to doubt himself after his latest battle with Jessie, James, and Meowth, but can a battle against an old rival give his confidence a boost?**

 **Chapter 32: TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

 _Last time, Tristan and Hillary began one of their most challenging tasks to date: getting Team Rocket out of Saffron City. However, their challenge didn't get any easier when Officer Jenny arrived on the scene and accused them of letting Team Rocket in it. To make matters worse, she attacked our heroes and chased them into the Silph Company, which was Team Rocket's base of operations. As if that weren't bad enough, Jessie, James, and Meowth showed up and proceeded to steal the baby Lapras in the fountain, putting Tristan even further in self-doubt. Meanwhile, the president and secretary were forced into their own board room by Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni. His evil intention was to steal top-secret plans for the Master Ball, which, if used, captures any wild Pokémon without fail. Now, Tristan and Hillary find themselves surrounded by four Team Rocket members who are actually brothers. Will Team Rocket rule the roost and get away with seizing the Silph Company right before Tristan's eyes?_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Brutal Pokémon Appearance (orchestra version)_

"So what's it's going to be, kid?" asked Gary to Tristan.

He, Barry, Harry, and Larry hoped that the kids would come with them.

"Um, why don't you four leave this place and Saffron City?" suggested Hillary, trying to be polite. "We're really not interested in playing with you creeps right now. In fact, you make us look bored!" She then laughed hysterically.

"Not the best time to be insulting them, Hillary," whispered Tristan.

The four Rocket Brothers, Barry, Gary, Harry, and Larry all shook and clenched their fists in fury at Hillary's comedy routine.

"That's it!" screamed Barry as he and the others threw their Pokéballs. "Go, Machoke, my fist of fury!"

"You're going down!" added Gary. "Go Cubone!"

"It's time to pay!" added Harry. "Go, Weezing!"

"Golbat, Hypno, you too!" finished Larry.

All the Pokémon materialized from the white lights that shot out of the Pokéballs.

Machocke had gray skin, plus it had big muscles and wore what appeared to be a championship belt.

Cubone had a thick skull on its head and a bone in its hand.

Golbat had large purple wings and a large, gaping mouth with fangs in it.

Weezing had two faces connected with a thin spherical tube attaching them.

Hypno looked like a yellow humanoid Pokémon with triangular ears and a pendulum in one of its hands.

All of the Pokémon had angry expressions on their faces.

Tristan hadn't seen Hypno or Machoke before, so he scanned them with his Pokédex just to be sure.

 _"Machoke: The Superpower Pokémon: The evolved form of Machop,"_ identified Dexter. _"The belt around Machoke's waist suppresses its energy. Without it, this Pokémon would be unstoppable._

 _"Hypno: The Hypnosis Pokémon: The evolved form of Drowzee. When it locks eyes with an opponent, Hypno will unleash a combination of the Hypnosis and Dream Eater attacks. Trainers beware: this Pokémon uses the pendulum in its hand to put its foes to sleep."_

"Now they definitely have us outnumbered," said Hillary. "They're using five Pokémon at once!"

"Well, we won't be for long. I choose everyone!" shouted Tristan as he threw four Pokéballs.

 _(Music Cue: Real and Copy! Which are the Strongest? as heard in "Better Eight Than Never")_

Ivysaur, Charmeleon, Wartortle, and Pidgeot all materialized from the white lights that shot out of the balls. Pikachu jumped in alongside the other Pokémon, ready to battle Team Rocket.

"Well, at least the Rocket Brothers aren't going to outnumber us anymore," said Tristan. "It's five on five. And it's also a good thing we have tall ceilings."

Hillary and all of Tristan's Pokémon nodded in agreement.

"Machoke, use your Karate Chop on Charmeleon!" yelled Barry.

Machoke tried to chop at Charmeleon using the side of its hand, but Charmeleon was too agile as it jumped back, dodging the attack.

"Cubone, give that Pikachu a Bone Club!" ordered Gary.

Cubone charged at a defenseless Pikachu with its club as the driving force.

"Look out, Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan.

But before Cubone could strike, Wartortle blasted a huge stream of water at Cubone, pushing it back on the spot.

"Thanks, Wartortle," said Tristan.

Wartortle nodded and gave a thumbs-up to its Trainer.

"Weezing, use Tackle attack on that Ivysaur!" commanded Harry.

Weezing did a full-body charge at Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur, do a Tackle attack right back!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur charged at Weezing and collided with it. At first, they were evenly matched, but with a little persistence, Ivysaur came out on top and successfully pushed Weezing back.

"Golbat, use your Supersonic on that big bird!" commanded Larry.

Golbat emitted an ultrasonic wave from its mouth at Pidgeot.

The wave hit Pidgeot, whose eyes had swirls in them. It teetered from side to side in confusion.

"What's going on with Pidgeot?" asked Hillary.

"Golbat's Supersonic attack must've confused it!" gasped Tristan.

"Now, Hypno, Hypnosis!" commanded Larry.

Hypno's eyes glowed in a blue color as it swung its pendulum rhythmically from side to side. Pidgeot looked at the pendulum and Hypno's eyes. It seemed to be in a hypnotic trance as it continued teetering from side to side.

"Pidgeot, please snap out of it!" shouted Tristan.

"Golbat, Bite attack!" yelled Larry.

"Golbat charged at a drowsy Pidgeot with its fangs bared.

"Charmeleon, you've gotta help Pidgeot, so use your Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon jumped in front of Pidgeot and immediately fired a red-hot stream of fire from its mouth. Its attack scored a direct hit on Golbat, but unfortunately, a few stray embers from the attack flew onto Pidgeot's crest on its head. It squawked loudly and immediately snapped out of the trance as it tried frantically to put out its fire.

"Pidgeot!" gasped Tristan.

"The embers from Charmeleon's Flamethrower must've landed on it!" added Hillary.

Tristan turned to Wartortle. "Quick, Wartortle, you've gotta help us out, so use your Water Gun attack!"

Wartortle shot another stream of water at Pidgeot's head and put out the fire. However, Pidgeot wasn't too thrilled at the thought of being soaked to the feather.

"Are you okay, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeot shook the excess water off its feathers and squawked a happy reply.

"Well, at least Pidgeot snapped out of its confusion," said Hillary.

"Why you!" exclaimed Larry.

"Get them!" shouted Gary.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

All of the Rocket Brothers' Pokémon charged at Tristan's Pokémon.

"Ivysaur, give 'em a dose of your Razor Leaf!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur shot a flurry of razor sharp leaves at the Rocket Brothers' Pokémon. One by one, they were struck down and were sent flying backward.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon shot a powerful hot stream of fire from its mouth, inflicting more damage on the Rocket Brothers' Pokémon. All of them collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

The Rocket Brothers were most annoyed.

"If we can't get your Pokémon, we'll just have to get the girl instead!" shouted Harry.

"Get her!" yelled Barry.

All four Rocket Brothers charged at a defenseless Hillary, who gasped in fear.

"That's no fair! Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot from its cheeks and body at the Rocket Brothers, who screamed in pain.

The Rocket Brothers collapsed in a pathetic heap.

"Never, ever, _ever_ mess with my sister!" fumed Tristan.

The Rocket Brothers were too dazed to stand up.

"Like brother..." began Larry.

"...like brother," put in Harry.

"Good night," added Gary.

"Sweet dreams," finished Barry.

Then the four Rocket Brothers, dazed from Pikachu's attack, fell fast asleep.

"Thanks, Tristan," said Hillary.

"There's no time for thank-yous, sis," advised Tristan. "Chances are, Jessie, James, and Meowth have already met up with Giovanni, and we've gotta get Lapras back."

"You're right," replied Hillary. "Let's go!" But the second she stepped aside to follow Tristan, she stepped on a yellow square. Instantly, the yellow square glowed then, Hillary glowed in a white light.

"Tristan, what's going on?" gasped Hillary as she disappeared a second later.

"Hillary, where are you?" shouted Tristan.

But it was no use. Hillary couldn't be seen or heard anywhere.

"I have to find her!" said Tristan. He took out his four Pokéballs. "Return, everyone!"

The Pokéballs shot red beams of energy from the buttons at Charmeleon, Ivysaur, Wartortle, and Pidgeot, transforming them into red energy as they shot back inside them.

Pikachu climbed on Tristan's shoulder as he stepped on the yellow tile. The tile glowed, and he and Pikachu disappeared also.

* * *

"Tristan, Pikachu, where did you go?" called Hillary. "Please don't disappear like that!"

Just then, Tristan and Pikachu materialized on the pink tile.

"There you are, sis," said Tristan.

"I'm glad you're back," said Hillary as she and Tristan embraced.

"So am I," replied Tristan. Then he checked his surroundings. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," said Hillary. "It looks like we're in a maze."

" _Those tiles_..." thought Tristan. Then he spoke out loud. "We must have stepped on some warp tiles!"

"Warp tiles?" asked Hillary.

Tristan nodded. "This entire building must have been made to look like a maze, so the warp tiles must have been placed to help navigate through here."

"Now all we have to do is figure out which warp tiles lead where so we can rescue Lapras and beat Team Rocket, right?" asked Hillary.

"That's easier said than done," replied Tristan. "We don't have any idea where the warp tiles will lead us."

"Then it's time to use these," smiled Hillary as she dug into her backpack and took out little stickers with red letter Rs on them.

"Those look like Team Rocket markers," said Tristan. "Why did you take those out?"

"Because Team Rocket loves fame and fortune," answered Hillary. "We'll simply use these to mark where we've been when we step on the warp tiles. And since Team Rocket's here at the moment, we won't attract attention. And when we finally get to the Team Rocket trio, we'll be that much closer to getting to the source of the problem!"

"I see now," smiled Tristan. "That just might work."

"Then let's go," said Hillary as she placed a Team Rocket marker next to the warp tile. Then, she and Tristan raced off to find the Team Rocket trio.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary were making good progress through the building. Sometimes, when they stepped on the warp tiles, they found themselves in areas they hadn't seen. Other times, they saw the markers and had to retrace their steps. Some of the Rocket Grunts saw the markers and were very pleased.

"Someone apparently likes us," said one of them.

"Maybe they'd like our autographs," said another.

"I wonder who placed these?" wondered a third.

Sure enough, Hillary's plan was working flawlessly. She and Tristan had not attracted any attention from any of the Rocket Grunts they hadn't encountered yet.

"Do you think we're getting closer to the source of the problem?" asked Tristan.

"I'm not sure," replied Hillary. "Anything's possible in this maze."

"Those employees must have had the foresight to make it easier to navigate from one place to another," said Tristan.

It was then that they saw what they thought was a red warp tile they hadn't seen yet.

"This looks promising, Tristan," said Hillary. "Let's get on this warp tile and see where we end up."

Hillary took out a Team Rocket marker and put it on the wall so she and Tristan would know they had been at that spot. However, when she stepped on it, red lights flashed and an alarm blared throughout the building.

"What's that?" asked Tristan. "What's making that buzzing sound?"

"It must be some sort of alarm!" answered Hillary. "This isn't a warp tile, it's a trap!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

A trap it was, for just then, multiple Rocket Grunts arrived on the scene and charged at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

"Now we're in for it," whispered Tristan.

"So you're the one who placed those markers!" yelled one of the Rocket Grunts. "Get outta here right now!"

"Pikachu, give 'em a Thunderbolt," commanded Tristan.

Pikachu immediately jumped off of Tristan's shoulder and shot a yellow bolt of electricity from its cheeks at the Rocket Grunts, who felt the large zap. One by one, they collapsed in a heap.

"Good job, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

Pikachu replied happily.

"Well, at least we won't see them for awhile," said Hillary.

But just then, more Rocket Grunts appeared and charged right toward Tristan and Hillary.

"Oh, no! Again?!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Use another Thunderbolt attack, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as another yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its cheeks at the second group of Rocket Grunts. Like the first group, this one, too, collapsed in a heap, but just as suddenly, a third group of Rocket Grunts appeared, followed by another and still another.

"Those guys are nuts! They just don't quit!" grunted Tristan.

"Sandslash, do a Swift attack!" shouted a voice.

Tristan and Hillary gasped in shock as a flurry of brightly colored sharp stars shot out of nowhere and struck the Rocket Grunts, one by one.

Having no other choice, the Rocket Grunts were forced to retreat.

Presently, a a mouselike Pokémon with quills on its back landed neatly on its feet.

A spiky-haired kid made his appearance next to the Pokémon.

Tristan knew who it was. "It's Blue," he whispered.

"Why did you help us?" asked Hillary.

"No reason," answered Blue. "I also figured you guys could use a little help. So, what kept you guys?"

"Team Rocket," replied Tristan. "We've been trying to get a stolen Lapras back from a trio of Team Rocket members. They used Smokescreen to cover their escape. We've got to help that Lapras somehow."

"Those blundering idiots?" asked Blue. Then he and his Pokémon fell on their backs in hysterical laughter.

"It's not very nice to laugh when someone tells you about their experiences with Team Rocket," barked Tristan.

Blue stopped laughing. "Sorry about that. I just knew that you'd show up after Team Rocket slowed you down. So I figured I'd follow you to Saffron City to see if you got better."

"We don't have time for a battle now, Blue," insisted Tristan. "I already told you that we need to find a group of Team Rocket members. And besides, they used a Wobbuffet, which neither of our Pokédexes can identify, and I'd like to get back at it."

Blue then became concerned. "It sounds like you've been doubting yourself for a while," he said. "I think a battle against me is just what you need to get your confidence back, and you need a little break time anyway. Besides, those three couldn't navigate through the maze, even if they tried. And even if they did manage to find their way to their leader, I doubt even he will take the time to talk with them. I'm sure that the president and secretary are trying to stall for as much time as they can."

Tristan thought about what Blue just said. Then he said, "Okay, Blue, if it will help me get my confidence back, then I accept your challenge."

"But Tristan, we need to go now," said Hillary.

"Relax, sis," replied Tristan. "I think Blue may be right. I have been doubting myself for the past hour, and I sure could use a little practice."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Secret Strategy (version 1))_

Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth were listening in on Tristan and Hillary through headphones as they tried to navigate through the maze of the building.

"I don't see the Boss anywhere, James, do you?" asked Jessie.

"No, Jessie, I don't," replied James. "But knowing him, he's probably on the top floor."

"Well, wherever he is, he's gonna be proud of da latest catch we did," added Meowth.

Lapras quietly cried in the net as Jessie struggled to keep a good grip on it.

"Oh, be quiet already!" barked Jessie. "Your consistent crying is giving me a big headache. Now stop it or you will have something to cry about!" She turned to James and Meowth. "You two, help me with this net, will ya?"

James and Meowth quickly ran to Jessie and helped carry the net, but even with all three of them carrying it, it was still hard to manage.

"Dis Lapras must weigh a ton!" strained Meowth.

"I can barely lift it myself!" grunted James.

"Oh, come on, you two," complained Jessie. "We've got to get this Lapras to the Boss or we'll never get that promotion."

It was then that James noticed one of the markers Hillary left behind. "Hmmmm," he said.

"What is it, James?" asked Jessie.

"Well, it looks like someone left a Team Rocket marker behind," replied James.

"Dat means dere's loyal Team Rocket fans in dis building somewheres," said Meowth excitedly.

Then what are we waiting for?" said Jessie. "Let's find the Boss so we can impress them!"

"Yay!" cheered James and Meowth. But before they knew what happened, they had stepped on the warp tile next to where Hillary left her marker. They both glowed just as the tile did, and they disappeared.

That left Jessie confused. "This is a whole new experience," she said as she struggled with the net toward the warp tile. Jessie and the warp tile glowed, and eventually, she and the net disappeared.

* * *

"I'm gonna use this Sandslash first," said Blue to Tristan.

"Sandslash," repeated Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Sandslash: The Mouse Pokémon: The evolved form of Sandshrew,"_ identified Dexter. _"It attacks opponents with the quills on its back."_

"That Sandshrew must've evolved," said Tristan.

"Very perceptive, Tristan," replied Blue. "I've been training my team nonstop since our last battle. I've got five Pokémon for you to beat."

"And I'll bet Sandslash is one of them," said Tristan. "I know who I'm gonna choose." He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "I choose you...Wartortle!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"So, a Water-type is up first," said Blue. "How predictable."

"Let's get this battle going so we can free the Lapras," advised Tristan. "Wartortle, use your Water Gun!"

Wartortle sprayed a powerful stream of water at Sandslash.

"Sandslash, use your Slash attack to keep the water at bay!" commanded Blue.

"Sandslash!" replied Sandslash as it furiously slashed at the water with its sharp claws. As hard as Wartortle blasted at it, Sandslash just kept slashing at the onrushing water.

"That's one of the most powerful Slash attacks I've ever seen!" gasped Hillary.

"Sandslash, Poison Sting now!" yelled Blue.

Sandslash spun like a wheel as a barrage of poisonous needles shot out from the quills on its back.

"Look out, Wartortle!" shouted Tristan. "Protect yourself using Withdraw!"

Wartortle shot its limbs and head into its shell just before Sandslash's Poison Sting made contact. The hard shell nullified the damage done to it.

"Hiding in your shell like that is a loser's way to battle, you know!" exclaimed Blue, who was most annoyed. "Sandslash, Swift attack!"

Sandslash spun like a wheel again, but this time, sharp, brightly colored stars shot out from its back at Wartortle's shell. The shell was pushed backward, but Wartortle shot back out of its shell, ready for a little more action.

But that was the chance Blue had been waiting for. "Sandslash, wrap this up with Slash attack!" commanded Blue.

Snadslash charged at Wartortle with its sharp claws as the driving force.

But Tristan had Sandslash right where he wanted it. "Wartortle, Ice Beam now!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle fired a beam of ice-cold energy from its mouth at Sandslash's claws. The beam instantly froze them solid, making them useless.

"No, Sandslash!" exclaimed Blue.

"Wartortle, Water Gun!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle blasted a powerful stream of water at Sandslash with all its might. Not only did it get Sandslash soaked to the skin, but it was pushed back with such force that it was instantly knocked out.

"Sandslash!" exclaimed Blue.

"Well done, Wartortle," commended Tristan.

Wartortle replied happily as it landed neatly on the ground.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss Theme as heard in "The Breeding Center Secret")_

Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth managed to find a warp tile that Hillary hadn't marked yet. By shear dumb luck, they managed to find their way to the eleventh floor where they saw Giovanni.

"It's the Boss," whispered Jessie. "He's definitely close by."

"Den what're we waitin' for?" said Meowth. "Let's deliver da Lapras to him!"

"But what if the Boss is in a meeting?" asked James, who was a bit concerned.

Jessie and Meowth realized that Giovanni never liked to be disturbed during meetings.

"I guess we can wait a little longer," said Jessie.

"We got plenty of time before da twoips show up," added Meowth. "Dey'll never be able to find us."

"Let's watch the Boss and see what he does with his hostages," said Jessie.

* * *

"So what will it be, Mr. President?" asked Giovanni, who was getting impatient. "I want an answer and I want it now."

"We already told you, sir, we won't give you the Silph Company!" insisted the President, who by this time was losing his own patience. "This company has been passed down from generation to generation, and I will not allow dastardly criminals like you take it for your evil purposes!"

"But what if I were to tell you that I'm not doing this for evil purposes?" suggested Giovanni. "Would you reconsider?"

"We saw what those awful people from Team Rocket did," said the secretary. "You can't deny that you were behind this takeover!"

"And another thing," added the president. "Even if we were to hand this company to you, Officer Jenny would eventually catch up to you."

Giovanni chuckled evilly. "It sounds to me like you've been doing your homework. But I really must have this company if I'm to bring this company into a bright future for the entire world. Unfortunately, if you two don't reconsider, and quick, I'm afraid you two won't be part of this future."

The president and secretary grunted desperately, hoping against all odds that someone would rescue them.

* * *

"Ninetales, go!" shouted Blue as he threw his second Pokéball.

Ninetales emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked like a fox with luxurious golden-white fur with nine beautiful long tails.

"Blue's Vulpix must've evolved since last time," said Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say about Ninetales," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Ninetales: The Fox Pokémon: The evolved form of Vulpix,"_ replied Dexter. _"It has nine tails and a shining golden fleece. Ninetales are said to live very long lives."_

"There's gotta be a secret to its longevity somewhere," said Hillary.

Tristan was confused. "Is Longevity some kind of new Pokémon?" he asked.

Everyone but Tristan hit their heads in embarrassment.

"Let's just continue on with this battle," advised Blue. "Ninetales, Ember now!"

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! as heard in "The Evolution Solution")_

Ninetales immediately shot a barrage of little balls of fire from its mouth at Wartortle.

"Wartortle, douse that Ember attack with your Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle shot a powerful stream of water at Ninetales' attack, instantly nullifying it.

"Ninetales, Quick Attack now!" commanded Blue.

Ninetales sped at Wartortle with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully scored a hit on it, much to Tristan and Wartortle's surprise.

"Whoa, that's fast!" said Tristan.

"Your Pikachu and Pidgeotto have taught me well, Tristan," remarked Blue. "So I decided to teach my own Pokémon that attack just so I can keep up with you! Ninetales, try your Quick attack again now!"

Once again, Ninetales, sped at Wartortle with a white line trailing behind it.

"Wartortle, aim your Ice Beam attack at the ground now!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle shot a beam of ice-cold energy at the ground. Ninetales was fast, but it was going too fast. It found that out the hard way when it slipped and fell on the ground.

"All right, Wartortle, hit Ninetales with your Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle shot a powerful stream of water at Ninetales, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Ninetales!" exclaimed Blue.

The damage from Wartortle's Water Gun combined with the slippery ice from its Ice Beam caused Ninetales to hit obstacle after obstacle, knocking it out.

"Ninetales, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

A red energy beam shot out from Ninetales' Pokéball, transforming it into red energy, which shot back inside it.

"Well, well," said Blue. "I see you've been doing some training, too," said Blue

 _"I don't know what other surprises Blue has in store for me in this battle,"_ thought Tristan, _"so I'll have to be at my very best if I want to claim victory."_

"Okay, here's something to surprise you with: Jolteon, I choose you!" shouted Blue as he threw his third Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 2) as heard in "The Battle of the Badge")_

Jolteon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked like a bigger version of Eevee, but it was covered in yellow spiky fur with a spiky fringe around its tail and a white ruff around its neck.

Hillary gasped in surprise. "Is that the same Eevee you battled before?" she asked.

"It almost has to be," replied Tristan as he scanned Jolteon with his Pokédex.

 _"Jolteon: The Lightning Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"When angered or frightened, the hairs on Jolteon's body become like needles that are fired at its opponents. It absorbs charged atoms and can produce 10,000 volts of electricity."_

"You'd better be careful, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Wartortle's at a huge disadvantage against Electric-type Pokémon like Jolteon."

"Are you okay to keep going, Wartortle?" asked Tristan.

Wartortle eagerly nodded.

"Great! Use your Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle quickly sprayed a stream of water from its mouth at Jolteon.

"Jolteon, dodge it, and then use your Pin Missle attack!" ordered Blue.

Jolteon jumped out of the way of Wartortle's attack. Its fur became spiky, and then it shot multiple yellow needles at Wartortle.

"Wartortle, Withdraw now!" shouted Tristan.

Wartortle withdrew its head and limbs as they shrunk back into its shell, nullifying the damage to Jolteon's Pin Missle attack.

"If you think you can hide in your shell forever you've got another thing coming! Jolteon, Quick Attack now!" commanded Blue.

With lightning speed, Jolteon charged at Wartortle with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully scored a clean hit on it, giving it some damage.

"Wartortle!" exclaimed Tristan.

"That was an incredibly fast Quick Attack!" gasped Hillary.

"I hate to kick a Pokémon when it's already down, but for you, I'll make an exception," said Blue. "Jolteon, Double Kick!"

With its hind legs, Jolteon kicked Wartortle in the belly, causing it to fall on its back. Wartortle flailed as it struggled in vain to get back on its feet.

"Wartortle!" gasped Hillary.

"This is bad," said Tristan. "Wartortle's shell is giving it so much trouble that it can't get back up."

"Jolteon, use your Thundershock attack!" yelled Blue.

Jolteon's electricity sizzled throughout its body. Then it shot a yellow stream of electricity at Wartortle.

"Wartortle, look out!" shouted Tristan.

* * *

 _As Wartortle braces for a pulverizing Thundershock from Jolteon, Tristan's latest battle against Blue may be just the thing to get his confidence back. But will he emerge victorious? And will he be able to stop Team Rocket and save the baby Lapras before it's too late? Don't miss the exciting conclusion...next time!"_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	33. Chapter 33: TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER,PART3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! It's been a little bit, but here's chapter 33 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Many characters from the games and anime appear in this chapter, including the president and secretary of the Silph Company, Blue, the Team Rocket trio, and Giovanni. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues are in this chapter for your imaginative listening pleasure. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember that feedback of any kind, positive or negative, is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is in the middle of a heated battle against Blue, but will the battle prove to be enough to prepare Tristan's confidence to stop Team Rocket and save the Silph Company?**

 **Chapter 33: TEAM ROCKET'S TAKEOVER, PART 3**

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 2) as heard in "To Master the Onix-Pected")_

 _Hoping to save the baby Lapras that had been kidnapped by Jessie, James, and Meowth, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu managed to blow past the four Team Rocket brothers who surrounded them. When Hillary was in danger, Tristan and Pikachu showed the brothers no mercy by giving them the shock of their lives using Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack. To navigate through the maze of the Silph Company, Hillary cleverly set markers that had Team Rocket's emblem next to the warp tiles. The idea was that they wouldn't attract any attention. However, when Hillary stepped on an alarm by accident, their cover had been blown, and many Team Rocket members charged at them, but they weren't any match for Pikachu's Thunderbolt either. More and more Team Rocket members showed up in an attempt to stop Tristan and Hillary; however, Blue showed up to help them in the nick of time, and immediately challenged Tristan to a battle in an effort to boost his confidence. Tristan managed to defeat Blue's Sandslash and Ninetales without too much trouble. However, he was in for a shocking surprise as Blue sent out his newly-evolved Jolteon to face Wartortle. To prove how much stronger he'd become, Blue commanded Jolteon to use its Thundershock on a defenseless Wartortle. Will Tristan and his Pokémon have enough power to blow past Blue so he, Hillary, and Pikachu can rescue the baby Lapras from Jessie, James, and Meowth, and also to stop Giovanni and Team Rocket from taking over the Silph Company? The battle continues...now!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! as heard in "From Ghost to Ghost")_

"Wartortle, you've got to get back up as fast as you can!" yelled Tristan.

Wartortle continued to flail on its back defenselessly as it struggled in vain to get up and dodge Jolteon's Thundershock attack.

"Hurry, Tristan, you've gotta do something fast!" shouted Hillary.

"Wartortle, Withdraw now!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle's limbs and head shot back into its shell in an attempt to cancel the oncoming damage from Jolteon's attack, but even with that defensive stance, Thundershock still managed to score an effective hit.

"Wartortle!" exclaimed Tristan.

The force of Jolteon's Thundershock attack had flipped Wartortle right side up, but it had taken some serious damage.

"Quick, Wartortle, return!" called Tristan as he held its Pokéball.

The red energy beam from the Pokéball's button shot at Wartortle, who transformed into red energy and shot back inside.

"Oh, well," said Blue. "I guess retreating is better than losing. So what Pokémon will you be using next?"

 _"That Jolteon seems to be a lot more powerful than it was since the last time I battled it,"_ thought Tristan. _"So I'll have to go with my next best choice."_ Then, he threw a Pokéball and shouted out loud, "Go, Ivysaur, I choose you!"

Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball.

Tristan hoped that Ivysaur's type advantage over Jolteon would be enough to defeat it.

"So you think that by using a Grass-type against my Jolteon would save you, huh?" said Blue. "We'll see who saves whom when Jolteon uses its Thundershock attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Jolteon fired another powerful bolt of electricity from its body at Ivysaur, which took the force of the attack. However, Ivysaur easily shook off the damage.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Blue. "Ivysaur just absorbed the attack like it was being tickled!"

"I get it!" said Hillary. "Tristan sent out Ivysaur in an attempt to stop Jolteon's Electric attacks! Grass Pokémon like Ivysaur are able to absorb electricity into the ground like lightning rods!"

"That's pretty smart of you to think outside the box like that, Tristan," commended Blue.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf attack!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a flurry of leaves from the bud on its back at Jolteon.

"Jolteon, jump and use your Quick Attack!" ordered Blue.

Jolteon leaped off the ground and avoided Ivysaur's Razor Leaf, and then it sped toward Ivysaur with a white line trailing behind it.

"Ivysaur, hold your ground!" instructed Tristan.

Jolteon rammed into Ivysaur, but Ivysaur used its head to keep Jolteon at bay. Thanks to its weight advantage, Ivysaur managed to push Jolteon back.

"Jolteon, Pin Missle attack!" yelled Blue.

Jolteon's yellow fur turned sharp, and it immediately shot sharp white needles from it. The needles hit Ivysaur hard.

"Ivysaur, hang on!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur fell onto the ground, and then it struggled to get back on its feet.

"That's the way, Ivysaur!" commended Tristan. "Now, fire Leech Seed!"

Ivysaur launched a brown seed from the bud on its back toward Jolteon. The seed blossomed into vines, which tangled Jolteon from head to toe. Jolteon instantly found itself powerless from the zap of Leech Seed.

"Jolteon, no!" cried Blue.

"Ivysaur, Vine Whip!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur quickly shot two green vines from its back, and grabbed Jolteon with them. It spun Jolteon around and around into the air until, at last, it thrust Jolteon down to the ground hard, knocking it out. The vines from Leech Seed completely disappeared.

"Jolteon!" exclaimed Blue.

"Good job, Ivysaur," said Tristan.

Ivysaur nodded happily to its Trainer.

"That was a close one," said Hillary as she sighed with relief. "I was getting nervous for a minute."

"Jolteon, return!" called Blue as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

The red energy beam from the ball transformed Jolteon into red energy and shot it back inside.

"So you managed to defeat my Jolteon," said Blue. "I was expecting it to give you a hard time ever since it evolved from my Eevee. But even with that, you still managed to defeat it even with the difficulties of its Electric attacks as well as its Pin Missle. I think that proves you're getting stronger already."

Tristan was surprised. He wasn't expecting Blue to be so nice to him.

"However," continued Blue, "that doesn't mean that you've beaten me yet. I won't accept defeat so easily. Now feast your eyes on my element of surprise as I choose Abra!" He threw his fourth Pokéball.

Abra materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked like a bipedal Pokémon with a kit-shaped face and naturally closed eyes, a small pale yellow snout, and a long, thick tail.

Trista quickly scanned Abra with his Pokédex named Dexter.

 _"Abra: The Psi Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon sleeps 18 hours a day. If it senses danger, it will teleport itself away from it even while sleeping."_

"Eighteen hours a day?!" gasped Tristan. "I'm lucky if I can get eight!"

"Well, your Pokédex may be accurate on most Abra, but not this one," replied Blue. "I've trained this Abra long and hard, and now it can stay awake through almost anything. So go on, just try and attack it."

"All right, Ivysaur, give Abra a Vine Whip attack!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur shot its two green vines from its back at a seemingly motionless Abra.

"Teleport," instructed Blue.

Abra glowed in a bright white light and disappeared before Ivysaur's Vine Whip could connect. At the same instant, Abra appeared behind Ivysaur, nearly scaring it out of its wits.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 1) as heard in "The Big Balloon Blow-Up")_

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"That Abra's fast!" exclaimed Hillary.

Blue just smiled.

At that moment, Abra began to glow in a bright white light as a shimmering tone was heard.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan.

"I think Abra's evolving!" replied Hillary.

Sure enough, Abra grew bigger as it evolved. When the evolution was complete, it looked like a bigger humanoid Pokémon with two pointed ears, a red star on its forehead, and two mustache-like tufts of fur extending from its snout. Its eyes were opened naturally, and it had a spoon in its hand.

"I'd better check it out," said Tristan as he scanned the newly evolved Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _'Kadabra: The Psi Pokémon: The evolved form of Abra,"_ identified Dexter. _"It emits special alpha waves that cause headaches just by being close by."_

"You'd better be careful, Ivysaur," advised Tristan. "That Kadabra seems pretty powerful."

Ivysaur nodded in reply.

"Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur shot a flurry of leaves from its back at Kadabra.

"Kadabra, Confusion!" commanded Blue.

Kadabra's eyes glowed in a crimson color, causing the flying Razor Leaf attack to stop in midair. They, too, glowed in a crimson color. Then, using its telekinetic powers, Kadabra sent Ivysaur's Razor Leaf right back at it. Ivysaur was taken by surprise as it was battered with leaf after leaf.

"That Confusion attack was really strong!" gasped Hillary.

"Finish it with Psybeam!" ordered Blue.

Kadabra focused its psychic energy in the palms of its hands. Then it shot a big mysterious colored beam from them at Ivysaur, scoring a direct hit in the process.

"Ivysaur!" exclaimed Tristan.

Ivysaur collapsed to the ground from the direct hit with a dazed look in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Well, it looks like the end of that," smiled Blue.

"Ivysaur, return!" called Tristan as he aimed the Pokéball's button at it.

A red energy beam shot out from the Pokéball, transforming Ivysaur into red energy as it shot back inside.

"I'm proud of you, Ivysaur," said Tristan as he held his Pokéball close to him. "Take a long rest." He turned to Blue. "Your Kadabra's pretty tough...much tougher than I first thought."

"Well, your Ivysaur's getting stronger, too," said Blue, "but keep in mind that Psychic attacks are real strong against Poison Pokemon."

"What do you mean, Blue?" asked Tristan.

"I mean that Ivysaur may be a Grass Pokémon, but it has Poison characteristics, too," answered Blue. "Just check your Pokédex."

Tristan checked his Pokédex, and sure enough, he saw that Ivysaur had qualities of both Grass and Poison Pokémon. "Pretty clever, Blue," he said.

"So which Pokémon will you be using next, pal?" asked Blue.

 _"That Kadabra's one of the toughest Pokémon I've had to battle against,"_ thought Tristan. _"But there's no way I'll ever give up."_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Secret Strategy (the second half)_

Meanwhile, on the top floor, Jessie, James, and Meowth were still waiting for their leader, Giovanni, to finish up his meeting with the president and secretary. They groaned as they sat down and took a break from hauling Lapras's heavy net.

"Why can't the Boss just get his little meeting over with?" complained Jessie.

"Da Boss really has his hands full dis time," added Meowth.

"I'm sure he will accept this Lapras we caught," finished James.

The three paused for a second.

"I'm fed up with all this waiting!" grumbled Jessie. "This is starting to get on my nerves!"

"Meowth, too," added Meowth.

"Not to mention this Lapras is heavy, even with all three of us lifting it," grunted James.

"Dere's gotta be some way," said Meowth.

"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet as it popped out of its Pokéball yet again.

Jessie grumbled. "Meowth said some _way_ , not some _Wobb_."

"Wobbu," said Wobbuffet sadly as Jessie returned it to its Pokéball.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss")_

"Charmeleon, let's go!" shouted Tristan as he threw another Pokéball.

Charmeleon materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball.

"We've gotta be careful, Charmeleon, because Kadabra's Psychic attacks are pretty powerful," advised Tristan.

Charmeleon nodded in reply.

"Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Kadabra.

"Kadabra, send it back with your Confusion attack!" commanded Blue.

Kadabra's eyes glowed in a red color, as did Charmeleon's Flamethrower. With one thrust from its spoon, Kadabra sent Flamethrower back at Charmeleon, sideswiping it.

Charmeleon was shaken, but easily got back on its feet.

"Now, Kadabra, use your Psybeam!" instructed Blue.

Kadabra shot another mysterious colored beam from its hands at Charmeleon.

"Counter that with Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon shot another hot stream of fire from its mouth at Kadabra's Psybeam. The two attacks collided with explosive results.

The smoke was so thick that Blue couldn't see. He was getting flustered.

This was Tristan's big chance. "Slash attack!" he shouted.

Charmeleon jumped out of the smoke at a surprised Kadabra. Charmeleon's razor sharp claws struck Kadabra hard, causing it to collapse. It had been knocked out.

"Kadabra!" exclaimed Blue.

"That was great!" smiled Hillary. "By using the smoke from the two attacks, Tristan and Charmeleon struck hard and fast without letting up!"

As Blue returned Kadabra to its Pokéball, he commended Tristan for his efforts. "Well, it looks like you're doing very well. But let's see what Cloyster has to say about that. Go!" He threw his fifth and final Pokéball.

A black pearl-like Pokémon encased in a light gray shell materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball. The first shell was surrounded by a blue-violet shell casing with spikes all over.

"That looks just like Shellder!" gasped Hillary.

"But only a lot tougher on the outside," added Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Cloyster: The Bivalve Pokémon: The evolved form of Shellder,"_ identified Dexter. _"This harder-than-diamonds shell is so strong, it can even withstand a bomb. It attacks by shooting spikes from its shell."_

"Charmeleon's at a huge disadvantage, Tristan," advised Hillary. "Maybe you'd better switch Pokémon."

"Do you want to take a break, Charmeleon?" asked Tristan.

Charmeleon thought about it for a second. It wanted to keep battling, but it could somehow sense that Tristan had a long road ahead to rid Saffron City of Team Rocket. So it nodded its response.

"You did well, Charmeleon," said Tristan. He took out its Pokéball.

A red energy beam shot from the Pokéball's button at Charmeleon, transforming it into red energy as it shot back inside. He turned to Pikachu, who was standing by Hillary. "Are you ready, pal?"

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu as it jumped in front of Tristan and readied itself for battle.

"Well, there's a surprise," said Blue sarcastically. "I thought you'd use an Electric Pokémon against a Water-type."

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos as heard in "The Wayward Wobbuffet")_

"Let's see how Cloyster likes an Electric attack," replied Tristan. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its cheeks.

"Cloyster, use Withdraw," said Blue confidently.

Cloyster quickly closed up its shell, protecting itself from any damage against Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Let's battle by using speed; use your Quick Attack, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu charged at Cloyster at a high rate of speed with a white line trailing behind it.

"Aurora Beam," instructed Blue.

Cloyster charged a multicolored beam from the horn on its head, then it fired it at Pikachu, scoring a clean hit.

"Pikachu!" gasped Tristan.

Pikachu fell on the ground before struggling back on its feet.

"Now Clamp attack!" commanded Blue.

Cloyster quickly grabbed Pikachu by the tail and clamped tight to it.

"Let's see you get out of this one, buddy," said Blue.

 _"Pikachu's Thunderbolt isn't going to be powerful enough to break free from Cloyster's grip this time, so I'll have to hit it with an even bigger jolt,"_ thought Tristan. Then he shouted out loud, "Pikachu, use Thunder attack!"

"Pikaaaaaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a pulverizing yellow bolt of electricity shot out of its cheeks and struck Cloyster at a very close range.

"Augh! No!" exclaimed Blue.

"Talk about in your face!" said Hillary.

Cloyster collapsed on the ground, knocked out, as it let go of Pikachu's tail.

Pikachu, landed perfectly on its feet despite its injured tail.

"Way to go, Pikachu," commended Tristan.

Blue's expression on his face turned from shock into a smile. "It looks like you're ready to face Team Rocket," he said as he returned Cloyster to its Pokéball.

"Wait a second," said Tristan suspiciously. "Was this battle a test?"

"Of course it was," answered Blue. "I wanted to make sure you didn't lose your battling spirit."

Tristan scowled at Blue.

"In the meantime," continued Blue, "I'm moving on up and ahead. I'm also checking to see what Pokémon are strong and how they evolve, and when I get my eight badges, I'm going to the Pokémon League to boot out the Elite Four."

"You'll have to win the regional Pokémon League Tournament first," said Tristan.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to attain Champion status before you get here, one way or another," smiled Blue. "Well, good luck, Tristan. Don't sweat it. Smell ya!" And he stepped on the warp tile. He glowed in a white light and eventually disappeared.

Hillary was stunned. "Wow," she said. "Talk about a disappearance."

"Well, that battle made me get a lot stronger," added Tristan. "However, my Pokémon need a good rest."

"Did I hear someone say they needed to rest?" asked a friendly voice. A woman in pink nurse attire and mobile machinery came to Tristan and Hillary.

"It's Nurse Joy!" smiled Hillary.

"Perfect timing!" added Tristan.

"Quick, put your Pokéballs on this machine," advised Nurse Joy.

Tristan quickly got Pikachu and his four Pokéballs on the machine.

Nurse Joy pushed a button on the machine, and surges of energy went through Pikachu and the four Pokéballs. Instantly, Pikachu felt reenergized.

"Wow, it worked!" smiled Hillary.

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy," added Tristan as he took Pikachu and his Pokéballs off the machine. "Come on, guys." And he, Pikachu, and Hillary raced to a warp tile they hadn't seen yet.

"Please don't give up!" called Nurse Joy as the three friends disappeared.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth were struggling desperately to keep a good hold on the net with Lapras, who was now struggling desperately to get out of it.

"Stop being a crybaby!" commanded Jessie.

"Okay, calm down," added James.

"We'll take care of you," finished Meowth.

"We found you, Team Rocket!" shouted Tristan.

Jessie, James, and Meowth gasped in shock and turned to see Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu confronting them.

Lapras cooed with joy.

"Let go of the Lapras!" demanded Hillary. "It isn't yours!"

It was then that Jessie and James went into their motto.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Kanto motto (version 1) as heard in "Beach Blank-Out Blastoise")_

"It is now, so prepare for trouble."

"It's also rare, so make it double."

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"So render yourself invisible or prepare to fight!"

"Wobbu!" chimed Wobbuffet as it popped out of its Pokéball.

However, it immediately got kicked over by Meowth who chimed, "Daaaaat's right!"

"Our Boss is in a meeting, and we won't let you disturb him," said Jessie.

"What meeting?" asked Hillary suspiciously.

"The meeting where he enforces total control of this building and all of Saffron City!" smiled James. "And he's taken the president and secretary as his hostages while we wait to give him this Lapras."

"We won't let that happen," said Tristan, who was determined more than ever to stop Team Rocket. "Pikachu, use your Quick Attack now!"

Pikachu sped toward the terrified trio with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully rammed into them, causing them to lose the hold on Lapras's net.

Taking this chance, Tristan threw a Pokéball. "Ivysaur, use your Razor Leaf to cut the net!"

A rejuvenated Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball and fired razor sharp leaves at the net, cutting it into pieces.

"Aaaah! The Lapras!" screamed the Team Rocket Trio.

Lapras wailed in happiness as it jumped and greeted Tristan.

"How are you doing, Lapras?" asked Tristan.

Lapras cooed its response to Tristan.

"It sounds like Lapras is doing fine," replied Hillary.

"Then, we'll make sure it's not fine!" insisted Jessie as she threw a Pokéball. "Go, Arbok!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 1) as heard in "The Fourth Round Rumble")_

Arbok, which loked like a purple cobra, materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"I choose Weezing...Victreebel!" shouted James as he threw two Pokéballs.

Weezing, looking like two heads with holes, and Victreebel, looking like a yellow bell, materialized from the white lights that shot out of James's balls. However, the latter, who was shrieking, immediately chomped down on James, attempting to swallow him as usual.

"Wait! Get off! Not me!" cried James.

"Arbok, Poison Sting attack now!' ordered Jessie.

"Send in a Sludge attack, Weezing!" added James.

Poisonous dart-like needles shot out from Arbok's mouth while brown sludge was released from Weezing's two mouths. The two attacks were aimed at Tristan and his friends.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" shouted Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its cheeks. Its attack successfully kept Poison Sting and Sludge at bay.

"Victreebel, Razor Leaf attack!" commanded James.

Victreebel shot a flurry of razor sharp leaves at Tristan's Pokémon.

"Ivysaur, use your Razor Leaf, too!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves to counter Victreebel's leaves.

"Those twerps aren't bad for little kids," remarked Jessie.

"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet as it appeared beside Jessie.

"Why are you agreeing with me?" shouted Jessie. "You're supposed to say that we rock! Go!" She shoved Wobbuffet into battle.

"We're going to need some more help," said Tristan as he took out two Pokéballs and threw them. "Charmeleon, Wartortle, I choose you!"

Charmeleon and Wartortle materialized from the white lights that shot out of the balls.

"What are you going to do, Tristan?" whispered Hillary.

"I'm going to distract it," replied Tristan. "Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower attack on Wobbuffet!"

Charmeleon fired a red-hot stream of fire at Wobbuffet.

"Wobbuffet, get ready to Counter it!" ordered Jessie.

Wobbuffet's outline began to glow in a pink color.

But that was the chance Tristan was waiting for. "Water Gun now!" he shouted.

Wartortle immediately shot a powerful stream of water at Wobbuffet from a different direction, confusing it.

Wobbuffet was so confused that it didn't know how to counter two attacks at once. Water Gun pushed it back into Arbok, Weezing, and Victreebel, causing them all to collapse into Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"All right, Pikachu, Thunder attack now!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a powerful stream of electricity shot out from its cheeks at the Team Rocket trio, who screamed as they felt the enormous shock. The attack was so strong that it caused an explosion, sending them flying out of the building into the twilight sky.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light! Again..." they groaned as they flew west into the distance with a tiny "ding" to mark their flight.

Back in the Silph company, Tristan congratulated his Pokémon for a job well done. "Great work, everyone."

"There's not a second to lose," advised Hillary. "Let's go stop that meeting."

Tristan and Pikachu agreed as they, Hillary, Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Wartortle dashed posthaaste to the board room.

Lapras was inspired by Tristan's bravery and followed the others as fast as its flippers would carry it, although it was safe to assume it didn't do as well on land as it did in the water.

* * *

"I've just about run out of patience," said Giovanni angrily as the president and secretary cringed in fear. "I'm going to have to force you out without any money!"

 _(Music Cue: Opening (1997-1998-M01B)_

Persian hissed and lunged at the terrified president and secretary with its claws fully extended, but a timely burst of water forced Persian down to the ground.

Giovanni was a little surprised by this turn of events.

"What's that?" asked the president.

"I don't know," replied the secretary.

 _(Music Cue: Title Screen 1997-1998-M01C)_

Wartortle appeared in the room and showed a friendly smile followed by Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and their friends. Then, just to add injury to insult, Wartortle fired another Water Gun attack at Giovanni, soaking him to the skin.

"You nasty Pokémon!" burbled Giovanni. "You've got some nerve ruining my perfect suit! Whose Pokémon is that?!"

"It's mine!" answered Tristan. "Got a problem with that?"

Giovanni turned around and saw Tristan, defiantly challenging him.

"Tristan, look there!" gasped Hillary. "Those two must be the ones who are in danger, and Giovanni was the one who was behind this takeover all along!"

"Hey, you kids! Please help us!" implored the president.

"Please stop this madman from taking over Silph Company and..."

But with one short, loud growl, Persian silenced them.

"Not another word, you two," warned Giovanni. "Or you're done."

"All right, Giovanni, let those two go right now!" demanded Tristan.

Giovanni stepped forward. "Ah, Tristan, so we meet again," he smiled. "The president and I are discussing a vital business proposition. So keep your nose out of grown-up matters...or experience a world of pain!"

Persian stepped in front of Giovanni and growled at Tristan and Wartortle.

"If you think we're going to sit idly by and let you get away with your evil plans, then you're sorely mistaken, Giovanni!" said Tristan. "Go, Wartortle!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

Wartortle stepped forward and prepared itself for battle against Persian.

"Wartortle, Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle quickly launched a powerful stream of water at Persian.

"Persian, dodge it and use your Slash attack!" shouted Giovanni.

Persian jumped up off the ground and evaded Wartortle's Water Gun, then it successfully used its sharp claws to deal some damage to Wartortle. However, Wartortle didn't give in so easily.

"Hang tough, Wartortle!" encouraged Tristan. "Try your Skull Bash!"

Wartortle lowered its head, and then charged at Persian with a silver aura glowing around its head. It successfully rammed into Persian, giving it a lot of damage.

Giovanni seethed in anger. "You impudent twit!" he grumbled to Tristan. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? If you stop me, then the Silph Company will never advance to its greater glory!"

"The only thing we saw was two people in danger!" countered Tristan.

"Yeah, we won't let you just pressure them into doing something that isn't right!" added Hillary.

"Show those wannabes your Slash attack, Persian!" commanded Giovanni.

Persian lunged and slashed at Wartortle with its sharp claws and successfully scored a direct hit, sending it flying. What made things worse was that Wartortle fell on its back and couldn't get up.

"Oh, no! Wartortle!" gasped Tristan.

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "Wartortle can't do much of anything when it's on its back like that!"

"Looks like Wartortle's done," smiled Giovanni. "Now, Persian, show no mercy and end this!"

Persian lunged at a defenseless Wartortle with its sharp claws as the driving force.

"Wartortle, you've gotta stand up!" cried Tristan.

Wartortle continued to flail on its back as it struggled in vain to get up. All the while, Persian continued to lunge closer and closer in an attempt to finish Wartortle off.

But suddenly, another Water Gun attack pushed Persian away just in time.

"What's that?" asked Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 2) as heard in "Enter the Dragonite")_

Presently, Tristan and Hillary heard a happy wail in the background and turned to see a familiar teal blue Pokémon with a gray shell on its back.

"It's Lapras!" said Tristan excitedly.

"I think it wants to help us," added Hillary.

Sure enough, Lapras had come to save them, and wanted to provide a little payback for helping it out by battling alongside them. And to ensure Wartortle's safety, it used its head to push Wartortle back on its feet again.

"Wow, thanks a lot, Lapras," said Tristan. He turned to Giovanni. "All right, Giovanni, Wartortle's back in the battle thanks to the friendly assistance of Lapras."

"Hmph!" fumed Giovanni. "Do you fools really think that this Lapras will be friendly with you? It will soon belong to me along with this building!"

"I think Lapras has proven that it can trust people to be its friends," replied Tristan. "And we ought to know because we helped free it from Jessie, James, and Meowth."

Giovanni grumbled. "Those fools. They can't _ever_ do anything right."

"Now's our chance, Wartortle!" shouted Tristan. "Use your Ice Beam!"

Wartortle shot an icy cold beam of energy at Persian.

Lapras was so inspired by Tristan's bravery that it fired an icy cold beam of energy to combine with Wartortle's attack.

Tristan and Hillary were surprised.

"Lapras is using Ice Beam, too!" exclaimed Hillary.

Sure enough, the two Ice Beam attacks combined together to form one massive blast, which scored a direct hit on Persian, freezing it solid and knocking it out.

"No, Persian!" cried Giovanni.

"Good job, guys!" commended Tristan. "That took care of them."

"Argh! I lost again?!" grumbled Giovanni as he returned Persian to its Pokéball. He then held it close. "You'll be okay." He turned to Tristan again. "Blast it all! You ruined Team Rocket's plans for the Silph Company!" He then smiled. "However, Team Rocket will never fall. Tristan, never forget that all Pokémon exist for Team Rocket!"

"That's not true, Giovanni," replied Tristan.

Giovanni grumbled. "Why do you say that?"

"Humans and Pokémon exist to live together in peace and harmony," explained Tristan. "When Pokémon need help, humans help them. The same can be said when humans need help. That's why we emerged victorious today.

Giovanni didn't believe him, but smiled anyway. "Hm. No matter. You can never understand what I have in store next. Now I must go, but I shall return!" He took out his radio. "Attention, all units...retreat immediately." He then threw a black ball with a red letter R on it. It exploded on the ground, creating a big black cloud of smoke.

Everyone covered their faces to try and hold their breath.

"Giovanni, come back!" shouted Tristan.

When the smoke cleared, not a trace of Giovanni or Team Rocket could be found anywhere in the building. All that was heard was the sound of a helicopter taking off into the sky.

"He got away again," grunted Tristan.

"I wonder what his next plan will be?" added Hillary.

The president and secretary sighed with relief now that the crisis was over.

The secretary spoke first to Tristan and Hillary. "Thank you both for rescuing all of us," she said. "The president and I admire your courage."

"We'd like to thank you for rescuing the Silph Company," added the president. "I will never forget that you saved it and us in our time of need."

"We didn't do it alone, sir," replied Tristan. "My Pokémon friends deserve most of the credit, including Lapras."

Pikachu, Lapras, Wartortle, and the others agreed with him.

"It sounds like Lapras has gained some self confidence in you, young man," said the president. "I have to thank you in some way. Because I am rich, I can give you anything, and I know just what to give you." He handed Tristan a special purple Pokéball with little pink circles and a capital letter M on it.

"What's this?" asked Tristan.

"This is a Master Ball," answered the president. "This is the prototype Team Rocket was after. It can catch any Pokémon without fail."

"All this trouble for a Master Ball?" asked Hillary in disbelief.

"I guess they wanted to use it to catch powerful rare Pokémon to take over the world," added Tristan.

"You should both be quiet about using it though," advised the president. "Do you promise?"

"We promise," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Why don't we guide these two kids out of the building?" suggested the president to the secretary.

"Good idea," replied the secretary. "We'll explain everything to Officer Jenny when we get out."

* * *

Some time later, everyone stood outside the Silph Company as the president and secretary explained what happened to Officer Jenny. She completely understood what they said.

"It looks like I owe you kids a big apology," said Officer Jenny to Tristan and Hillary. "I never should have jumped to conclusions and accused you of letting Team Rocket into the city without knowing your good intentions. I attacked you without listening to the full story."

"We're just glad that it all worked out, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

"We still respect you," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"By the way, Officer Jenny," said Tristan, "we heard that there was a Gym somewhere in Saffron City. I was hoping I could challenge the Gym Leader so I could get my sixth badge.

"You heard right, Tristan," replied Officer Jenny. "The Gym is on the north side of the city. I highly suggest you two get a good night's rest tonight. You've earned it after driving Team Rocket out of Saffron City."

"We'll do that, Officer Jenny," said Hillary. She turned to Tristan, who was now feeling better. "See, Tristan? I told you things would work out."

"And you were right, sis," said Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them.

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

The president and secretary then walked up to Tristan. "Tristan, the president and I have something for you," they said.

"What is it?" asked Tristan.

The president handed Tristan a Pokéball. "I want you to have this Lapras," he said.

"What for?" asked Tristan.

"Lapras was totally terrified when Team Rocket showed up, and there was no way it could befriend anyone just by swimming in some little fountain," explained the president.

"And seeing you battle those thugs and that madman as bravely as you did, it knew right away you'd be the perfect trainer to take good care of it," added the secretary.

"It's very intelligent, not to mention a good swimmer," continued the president. "And whenever you want to ferry across the sea, Lapras will be happy to give you a ride."

Hillary grew very excited. "Wow, Tristan, that's so great!" she said.

"I'll be happy to take good care of this Lapras," replied Tristan to the president.

"Thank you so much, Tristan," said the secretary. She handed Lapras's Pokéball to Tristan.

"You have my word; I'll take good care of it," assured Tristan to the president and secretary. He raised the Pokéball into the sky and proudly proclaimed, "I caught a Lapras!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu happily.

* * *

 _"Thanks to Tristan and his Pokémon friends, Team Rocket was driven out of Saffron City. And Tristan has a new swimming friend named Lapras to add to his growing Pokémon family. Soon, he'll be able to take on the Saffron City Gym so he can battle for his sixth badge._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	34. Chapter34:SABRINA,THE TEENAGE GYM LEADER

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been a while, but here is chapter 34 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through the Kanto region. Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader, and her parents from the anime make appearances in this chapter, but Sabrina's parents have names, and so does a little girl. I looked up information from the TV series, _Sabrina, the Teenage Witch_ , to find out what names to use. I may have very well gotten some of those names from that show. Not only do Shinji Miyazaki's music cues make appearance in this chapter, but the Pokémon Dance Mix does as well. That song was composed by John Siegler and John Loeffler while the lyrics were sung by the late Vicki Sue Robinson. Just a reminder that I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review. And remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu meet Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader, and decide to throw a party for her. But when catastrophe strikes, it's up to Sabrina to overcome her self-doubt and save the day!**

 **Chapter 34: SABRINA, THE TEENAGE GYM LEADER**

 _(Music Cue: Opening (Version 1) 1997-1998 (the first few measures)_

 _Today, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu can hardly contain their excitement, for Tristan is about to challenge the Saffron City Gym to try and earn his sixth badge. As for Hillary and Pikachu, they're just excited to watch another great battle._

"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "I can hardly wait!"

Pikachu agreed with him as usual.

"I can tell that you like battling very much since day one," replied Hillary.

"And not only that, I have a new Lapras to train," added Tristan. "I made a promise to take good care of it."

"I know you will," said Hillary. "Otherwise, the president and secretary of the Silph Company wouldn't be as generous as they were when they gave it to you."

Just then, they heard glass breaking followed by horrible screaming.

"What was that?" gasped Tristan.

"Quick, let's go find out!" said Hillary.

And they raced off.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary kept running through Saffron City toward the source of the scream.

"It sounds like it's coming from that direction," said Tristan.

"You're right, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Let's check it out."

They kept running until they saw what appeared to be an unusual dome-shaped building.

"That must be the Gym," said Tristan.

Hillary was just about to give a reply when a little girl ran out with an injured Pidgey in her arms.

"Stay away from me, you freak!" the little girl shouted as she ran away.

"Wait, come back!" a voice called. "I won't hurt you!" It was then that a slim young teenage woman stepped out of the Gym. She had long dark green hair and blue eyes. She wore black boots and a red dress with yellow buttons. She clenched her fists in anger.

"She must be the one who accidentally scared the little girl," whispered Hillary to Tristan.

"She seems pretty lonely," replied Tristan. "Maybe she needs help."

The young woman thrust her left fist into the wall and shouted, "Why? Why did I inherit such powerful psychic powers from my father? Why? _WHY?!_ "

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu felt sad.

"I feel sorry for her," said Hillary.

"Me, too," added Tristan. "Maybe we should talk with her."

Hillary felt uncertain. "I don't know," she said. "She must be pretty upset."

"Come on, sis, don't judge a book by its cover," said Tristan as he walked to the teenage woman, who was still feeling pretty miserable.

Hillary followed close behind him nervously.

The teenage woman looked up and saw Tristan and Hillary approaching her. "What do you two want?" she said unhappily.

"Hi, there," said Tristan. "We just wanted to introduce ourselves. I'm Tristan, and this is Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

"And my name's Hillary," smiled Hillary. "What's your name?"

"If you must know, my name's Sabrina," said the woman unhappily. "I'm the Saffron Gym Leader."

"Wow, no way!" gasped Tristan.

"I never knew that," added Hillary. "But the thing is we just wanted to see what was going on."

Sabrina turned her face away from Tristan and Hillary and said unhappily, "I don't want to talk about it."

"We just want to help you, Sabrina," Tristan assured her.

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" shouted Sabrina angrily as she ran back inside her Gym.

"Hold on, Sabrina!" called Hillary.

But it was no use; the doors closed behind Sabrina as she disappeared from view.

Tristan and Hillary felt even worse for her.

"Poor Sabrina," said Tristan sadly. "There has to be some way to help her feel better."

"But what can we do about it, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Sabrina obviously doesn't want to talk with us."

"Maybe we should ask around Saffron City and see if anyone knows her," suggested Tristan.

"It's worth a try," replied Hillary. "Let's go see."

And they all went off to try and find some answers.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary went from block to block trying to see if they could find anyone who knew Sabrina, but they didn't have much success.

"We've been almost everywhere in Saffron City, and we haven't found one clue," groaned Tristan.

"Yeah, my feet are killing me," moaned Hillary. "I just wish I had as many Pokémon friends as I have blisters."

"Maybe I can be of some assistance," said a voice.

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see a woman with long red hair and bangs.

"Who are you?" asked Tristan.

"My name's Diana," answered the woman. "I'm Sabrina's mother."

"It's nice to meet you, Diana," said Hillary. "I'm Hillary, and this is my big brother, Tristan, and his best friend, Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu warmly.

"It's nice to meet you all," replied Diana.

"We met Sabrina just a little bit ago," said Tristan, "and we were wondering if you could tell us what's going on."

Diana paused for a second, and then she said, "Sabrina was a lonely little girl, and she still is." She began her story.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Bill's Lighthouse)_

"When Sabrina was born," began Diana, "she inherited her telekinetic powers from her father. She would spend endless hours developing her powers without having to lift a finger. From bending spoons to cracking walls, she did it all using telekinesis."

"Then what happened?" asked Hillary.

"We tried to help our little girl," replied Diana, "but she just used her psychic powers to drive both her father and me away. She didn't want to make any friends; she was just too obsessed with her psychic training."

"That's awful," said Tristan sadly.

"This circumstance split Sabrina's very own personality into two girls; the strong Pokémon trainer who was always causing trouble, and the lonely little girl who desires to make friends," continued Diana. "She had a doll that she always held, and it represented her true self before her training began. She turned me into a doll some time later. But when a young trainer named Ash came into Saffron City, along with his friends, Misty and Brock, he faced Sabrina and her Kadabra, even though the Haunter he befriended wasn't the most loyal Pokémon. His Pikachu stepped up to protect him until Haunter came to the battle. It made funny faces and even used a bomb. It exploded in both Sabrina's and Haunter's faces. This event caused Sabrina to smile, and eventually, laugh for the first time in years. The doll disappeared while Sabrina, her father, and I were reunited as a family."

* * *

"But she still feels lonely from time to time," said Diana sadly, "even with Haunter and Kadabra as her playmates."

"How come?" asked Hillary.

"The trainers that come to Saffron City still see her as the dangerous Psychic Pokémon trainer before Ash came," explained Diana. "So they just run away from her in fear."

"I understand," replied Hillary.

"Me, too," added Tristan. He then thought long and hard about the story Diana just told until suddenly, an idea struck him. "Why don't we throw a special party for Sabrina in Saffron City tonight? There'll be dancing, food, music, and, of course, people and Pokémon. I'll invite my Pokémon to join the party, too."

"Hey, that's a great idea, Tristan!" smiled Hillary.

"I agree," added Diana. "I'll take you guys to the Gym, but first, I want to tell my husband the party idea. Follow me." And she led Tristan and Hillary through the streets of Saffron City, but not for long for just then, a handsome middle-aged man appeared out of nowhere. He had a yellow cap, black hair, and a black beard.

Tristan and Hillary were startled from the sudden appearance.

"Oh, sorry about that," said the man. "I was just going from place to place as part of my routine." He turned to Diana. "So who are these young folks, dear?"

Diana smiled. "This is Tristan, Pikachu, and Hillary," she replied. Then she introduced them to the man. "This is Edward, Sabrina's father and my husband."

"A pleasure," replied Edward.

"Tristan just came up with a brilliant idea to throw an extra special party in Saffron City tonight just for Sabrina," explained Diana. "This will be an opportunity to get to know Sabrina better. And this will be a great opportunity for Sabrina to make new friends."

Edward thought for a minute. "That's a great idea," he said. "I'll take you all to see Sabrina right now."

"But the Gym is many blocks away from here," said Hillary. "How will be able to see her now when we're still far away?"

"Sometimes, things can't be explained, but maybe this will show you," he said. He then recited one word: "Teleportation..." Instantly, he and the others glowed in a white light, and then they disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Everyone appeared at the Gym from the white light as they stopped glowing.

"That was like magic," said Tristan. "Astounding."

"You said it, Tristan," replied Hillary. She turned to Edward. "How did you do it?"

"Like Sabrina, I, too, was born with telekinetic powers," explained Edward. "However, they aren't as strong as Sabrina's powers. And even if I used them to my full potential, I wouldn't stand a chance against her."

"So you're able to bend spoons and control other people and objects just by using your psychic powers?" asked Tristan. "That's awesome!"

"Despite that, these powers shouldn't be taken lightly," advised Edward. "I've used them against other people; many of whom failed. But when Ash sought help to defeat Sabrina in his Gym Battle, he was so persistent he kept on trying. Eventually, he succeeded, and I told him that the only way to defeat Sabrina was to use a Ghost-type Pokémon."

"Like Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar?" asked Hillary.

Edward nodded. "Yes. Those are the three known Ghost-type Pokémon in existence. I'm pretty sure there are more out there somewhere, but they have yet to be discovered. Anyway," he continued, "let's go find Sabrina." And they all went inside the Gym.

* * *

Inside the Gym, Sabrina was still moping. "I just don't understand what I did wrong," she said as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Why won't anyone listen to me?" There was a knock on the door.

"Sabrina, it's your mother," said Diana.

"And your father," added Edward. "May we talk a minute?"

Sabrina wiped the tears from her eyes and replied, "Come in."

The door opened and in stepped her mother and father, as well as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

Sabrina was a little scared at Tristan and Hillary's arrival.

"It's all right, Sabrina," said Edward. "These kids are your friends. They know everything."

Tristan and Hillary nodded

Sabrina felt better, but still was uneasy.

"How would you like to be the star of this extra special party Tristan just thought up?" said Hillary excitedly. "This will be the chance for you to make some new friends."

"And we'll help you in any way we can," added Tristan.

"And we thought about having it in the town square tonight," finished Diana.

"Do you want to give it a try, Sabrina," asked Edward.

Now it was Sabrina's turn to think long and hard. At last, she said, "It's a deal."

Tristan and Hillary jumped for joy while Sabrina's parents smiled.

"Let's get started right away," said Edward.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Come Along)_

Everyone was working hard to make sure that evening's party was a successful one. Edward was busily taking everyone's picture. He wanted to make sure that Sabrina, Tristan and Hillary, and Tristan's Pokémon all got in as many pictures as he could possibly take. Afterwards, he got the pictures developed and put them on posters. As he put the pictures on the posters, Tristan and Hillary set them up all over Saffron City. When Tristan couldn't reach certain spots, Ivysaur's Vine Whip gave him a boost. Charmeleon and Wartortle helped Tristan and Hillary with hauling heavy loads of posters and decorations in a wheelbarrow toward the town square. Pidgeot carried a large bag of posters and dropped the invitations off at the houses by air mail.

They finished their work four hours later.

Everyone stood proudly at the town square as they saw all the posters.

"I think that this is going to be a great party," smiled Edward.

"I agree," replied Diana.

"I just know Sabrina will love it," added Tristan.

"Me, too," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with everyone.

Presently, Sabrina arrived and saw the decorations and posters. She was most impressed. "This is nice," she said. "You all did this just for me?"

"That's what friends do, dear," replied Edward.

"And family, too," added Diana.

Sabrina stood before her parents. She started tearing up again, but this time, the tears that fell were tears of happiness. She ran to her parents and they all embraced. "This is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me," she said.

Tristan and Hillary watched on happily. They almost felt like crying, too.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Dance Mix (0:12-1:24)_

Hours later at the town square, the party and the music were in full swing. Everyone in Saffron City came to the party for the food, fun, and entertainment. Charmeleon, Wartortle, and Ivysaur danced with each other while Hillary danced with Pikachu.

Tristan extended a hand to Sabrina and asked her, "Do you want to dance?"

Sabrina happily accepted Tristan's offer, and they danced away.

 _The journey's just begun  
The more the better  
Team Rocket's on the run  
We're friends forever_

 _You've got the power_  
 _Right in your hands_  
 _They'll evolve before your eyes_  
 _A world of magic_  
 _At your command_  
 _You can be a master if you try_

"This was a great idea," said Diana as she continued to dance to the music. "It looks like Sabrina's having a wonderful time."

Sure enough, Sabrina was smiling while dancing to the music with Tristan.

Everyone continued to dance until Edward stepped up to the podium.

 _(Music fade out)_

He cleared his throat as he spoke into the microphone, and said, "I want to thank you all for coming to this special party for Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader, and my daughter. Most of you may not realize this, but she's a very nice person. When she was younger, Sabrina didn't want to make friends, but deep inside, she felt very lonely, and desired to make friends with many people, including her family."

Everyone listened in astonishment as Edward continued his speech.

"When Sabrina was born, she inherited her psychic powers from her mother and me. She practiced them endlessly without wanting any friends. As a result, she became completely obsessed with her psychic training until a brave and persistent young trainer battled her in the Saffron Gym. A Haunter then came and made her laugh for the first time in years. That was the happiest we'd seen Sabrina, but she still felt somewhat lonely. She didn't have any parties when she was growing up. Today, another young trainer and his sister presented us with the idea of throwing this get-to-know party for Sabrina. Our daughter was delighted with the idea. She even danced with this young trainer just a few minutes ago. She's having the time of her life right now, and my wife, Diana, and I owe him and his sister our gratitude."

Everyone applauded as they saw Sabrina smiling with Tristan at her side.

"I think you're a very special person to everyone, Sabrina, especially your family," said Tristan.

Sabrina silently nodded, then she replied. "Thank you, Tristan."

"And now, I'd like to present an exhibition match between my daughter, Sabrina, and the nice young trainer you see standing before you," announced Edward. "Please give these two a warm welcome."

Everyone applauded again, but Tristan and Sabrina both became nervous. They've never been the center of a huge crowd's attention before.

"Come on, Tristan," whispered Hillary. "You can do this."

"You can, too, dear," added Diana to Sabrina.

Just as Sabrina's hand started shaking, Tristan noticed her fear and held her hand by his own hand. Sabrina's hand stopped shaking instantly. "They're right," he said. "Let's go up and show them what a friendly battle is like."

Sabrina turned to Tristan with a smile and said, "Okay."

Then they both went to the center of the stage and stood on opposite sides.

'We will now begin this exhibition match with one Pokémon each with no time limit," announced Edward. "Begin!"

"Sabrina tossed a Pokéball and a Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked a lot like Kadabra, but it had two spoons, not just one, and it had no tail. Plus, it had no star on its forehead.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Alakazam: The Psi Pokémon: The evolved form of Kadabra,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon uses Psychic attacks to overcome its opponents. It also has an I.Q. of 5,000."_

"That sounds pretty tough," said Tristan. "But I came to do my best. Even though this isn't a Gym Battle, I will give it everything I have." He turned to Pikachu, who stood by Tristan. "Okay, Pikachu, let's go."

Pikachu ran in front of Tristan as it readied itself for battle against Alakazam.

"Just because we're friends, Tristan, doesn't mean that I will go easy on you," advised Sabrina.

"I wouldn't want you to," replied Tristan. "Let's give it our all."

"Let the battle begin!" announced Edward.

"Pikachu, hit Alakazam with your Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (Version 2) as heard in "The Battle of the Badge")_

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a strong yellow bolt of electricity was released from its cheeks. The attack was aimed straight for Alakazam.

"Alakazam, Teleport," instructed Sabrina.

Alakazam briefly glowed in a white light, then disappeared. Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack had missed its mark.

Tristan was surprised. "Whoa, Alakazam's disappeared!" he gasped.

After another flash of white light, Alakazam reappeared, but in a different spot on the stage.

"Quick, Pikachu, try another Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as another yellow bolt of electricity shot at Alakazam.

"Teleport again," instructed Sabrina to Alakazam.

Alakazam glowed in a white light and disappeared again, then it reappeared in a different spot on the stage.

"That Alakazam's fast!" grunted Tristan.

"Alakazam, Psybeam," commanded Sabrina.

Alakazam focused its power between its two spoons, then it shot a mysterious colored beam at Pikachu. It scored a clean hit, sending Pikachu careening backward.

Pikachu fell onto the ground, but struggled back to its feet.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" encouraged Tristan. "Use your Quick Attack!"

Pikachu sped at Alakazam with a white line trailing behind it. However, once Pikachu made contact, Alakazam pushed hard against it, sending it backward.

"That's no good either," grunted Tristan.

"That Alakazam seems like it's been well-trained," remarked Hillary. "I sure hope Tristan knows what he's up against."

Meanwhile, in the bushes, not too far from the stage, the little girl that ran from the Gym earlier in the day looked on in horror as Tristan continued to battle Sabrina.

"Oh, no!" she whispered as her voice shook. "That freak's going to scare that trainer out of his wits, just like she did with me!"

"We've gotta try something else, Pikachu. This isn't over yet," said Tristan. "Use your Double Team!"

Pikachu quickly made illusory copies on the stage. Alakazam looked a little flustered.

"Alakazam, you can sense Pikachu's movement," advised Sabrina. "Find the real one, then give it a Psybeam."

Alakazam closed its eyes and listened for the real Pikachu. Once Pikachu's voice was heard, it opened its eyes, then shot another mysterious colored beam at Pikachu, scoring a direct hit.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Finish it with your Psychic attack," instructed Sabrina.

Alakazam's eyes glowed in a red color, as did Pikachu's outline. Pikachu strained as it struggled to break free from Psychic. Alakazam tossed Pikachu into the air. After a few seconds, tossed it back into the ground hard, causing a cloud of dust.

"Pikachu, no!" exclaimed Tristan.

When the dust cleared, Pikachu had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle and Alakazam wins!" announced Edward. "The winner of this battle is our daughter, Sabrina."

Everyone applauded as Tristan rushed to his injured Pokémon.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu opened its eyes and gave a weak reply.

"You did a great job, pal," said Tristan. "You just take it easy for now." He handed Pikachu to Hillary, who stood close by.

"Is Pikachu okay?" asked Hillary.

Tristan nodded. "Pikachu just needs a good rest, that's all."

"That was a good battle," said Sabrina as she walked up to him. "Your Pikachu has been raised well."

"I didn't get in one hit, though," replied Tristan. "That Alakazam's pretty tough."

"Psychic Pokémon are pretty tough to handle when trainers battle against them," explained Sabrina. "Those who face a Psychic Pokémon like Alakazam have almost no idea what will come at them."

"I certainly didn't have any idea," said Tristan. "But I know that I shouldn't underestimate the power of Psychic Pokémon."

The little girl in the bushes watched in amazement as she saw Tristan actually talking with Sabrina. "She's not scaring him," she whispered. "Maybe she's a nice person after all." She walked out of the bushes and disappeared into the crowd.

"Thanks for the tip, Sabrina," said Tristan. "You've been a really big help."

"I should be thanking you for giving me a chance," replied Sabrina. "You were one of the few people who actually believed in me."

Just as Tristan and Sabrina were about to shake hands, the little girl that Sabrina saw earlier came onto the stage. She seemed nervous, but she wasn't scared.

"It's the little girl," whispered Hillary to Pikachu. "I wonder what she's doing here?"

Pikachu wondered too.

Everyone else was whispering about what was happening, including Sabrina's parents, who didn't expect a little visitor.

The little girl started to speak to Sabrina. "Hey, S-S-Sabrina," she shivered. "I was just wondering if you would..."

But before the little girl could finish her sentence, one of the steel beams on the stage cracked, and it started to topple over toward the little girl.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

"Hey, look out!" shouted Tristan as he rushed over to the little girl to shield her from the oncoming impact.

"Tristan, no!" yelled Hillary.

Everyone else gasped in horror as they looked on.

That was when Sabrina's eyes glowed pink, as did the steel beam, and it stopped where it was.

When Tristan opened his eyes, he looked up and saw that the beam stood still. He also noticed Sabrina straining to keep the beam from hitting him and the little girl.

"I don't know how long I can hold this thing off!" she grunted. "I don't know if I can keep my psychic powers from getting out of control!"

"What are you talking about, Sabrina?" asked Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

"The last time I used my psychic powers was when I was causing trouble," grunted Sabrina. "I turned everyone into dolls and drove my family away. And because of that, everyone in town hated me. But ever since I reunited with my family, I was still known as the troublemaker I once was! I'll never forgive myself for all the terrible things that I've done! I don't even know if I can keep my powers from going out of control!" Her telekinetic grip started to slacken a little, causing the steal beam to fall closer to Tristan and the little girl.

The little girl shrieked in horror and started to cry.

"Run for it while you still can, Tristan!" shouted Hillary.

"You have to trust me on this one, sis!" insisted Tristan.

"I'm really scared, Tristan," shivered the little girl.

"We'll be fine," replied Tristan. He continued to talk with Sabrina. "Sabrina, please listen to me! You're not that person anymore! As that person, you were doing everything you could to stop being with your family! Now look at yourself; you're doing everything you can to stop a dangerous situation!"

"Everyone in Saffron City knows that just like we do!" added Hillary. "They just weren't sure what to believe! That's why we threw this special party just for you so they could get to know you, and you could meet them. We know you were having a good time. You danced to the music with Tristan, remember? You're an extra special person, and we believe in you, Sabrina!"

"They're your friends, Sabrina," assured Diana. "Your father and I are, too. Do you trust them and us enough to believe we're right?"

Sabrina thought long and hard about what her mother, Tristan, and Hillary just said to her. Then with a smile and a nod, she said, "I do."

 _(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

That was when her psychic powers intensified, and she lifted the steal beam almost upright. Then she lifted Tristan and the little girl out of harm's way.

They were gently put down next to Hillary and Pikachu.

"Are you okay, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I am now, and so is she," replied Tristan, pointing to the little girl.

"So you're the little girl we saw earlier," said Hillary.

The little girl nodded. "My name's Roxie," she said. "I was afraid of Sabrina at first, but seeing her make peace with this nice trainer really helped me get over my fear. And when I was in danger, you and Tristan helped encourage me to get over it even more." Then she shouted as loud as she could, "You can do it, Sabrina!"

Sabrina heard Roxie's encouragement and used her psychic powers to crush the beam into hundreds of pieces.

Everyone was astounded, especially Tristan and Hillary.

"That was great, Sabrina," said Tristan.

"We knew you could do it," added Hillary.

Sabrina showed a sheepish smile. "I guess I should have listened to you guys from the start," she said, "but I'm glad it's all over."

"Hey, Sabrina," said Roxie. "I'm sorry I called you a freak and ran away. I hope you can forgive me."

Sabrina shook her head, knowing that Roxie didn't mean what she had said. "It's all right. No hard feelings."

"Roxie! Roxie!" called a woman as she ran toward the little girl.

"Mama!" cried Roxie happily as she happily ran into the woman's arms.

"You had me so worried," said the woman. "Are you okay?"

"She's fine now, ma'am," answered Tristan.

"I saw everything, and I want to thank you, young man, for protecting my daughter," said the woman.

"You're welcome, ma'am, but I didn't do it," replied Tristan. "All the thanks should go to Sabrina, the Gym Leader. Her psychic powers really saved the day this time."

The woman turned to Sabrina. "Thank you, Sabrina," she said. "You're a very special person with a very special gift."

Sabrina just smiled.

"Let's give a big hand to Sabrina, the newest heroine of Saffron City!" announced Edward over the microphone.

Everyone cheered and applauded as Sabrina proudly looked on.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Later, as everyone was leaving and taking the decorations down, Sabrina continued to talk with Tristan, Hillary, and Roxie.

"I want to thank you all for helping me feel comfortable," said Sabrina. "This party was an excellent idea. And I got to give out great advice on training. And thanks to you, I was able to make new friends."

"I should be thanking you for that great battle, Sabrina," replied Tristan. "I just don't know what to do to defeat that Alakazam in our Gym battle."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out when you battle," smiled Sabrina.

"Sabrina's right," added Hillary. "If there's anyone who can outsmart that Alakazam, it's you and your Pokémon."

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Thanks, guys," said Tristan. "We'll do our best."

"I'll be rooting for the both of you when you battle," finished Roxie.

"Thanks a lot, Roxie." replied Tristan.

"Roxie, it's time to go!" called her mother from the distance.

"Coming, Mama!" replied Roxie. She turned to the others. "I'll see you later!" And she ran off to meet her mother.

"Bye, Roxie!" called Tristan and Hillary.

Sabrina proudly looked on. "Everyone here has been very nice," she thought. "I owe them and my family my eternal gratitude."

* * *

 _Thanks to Tristan and Hillary, Sabrina's party was a big success, and now she feels more at ease with everyone she meets. And as Tristan prepares for his latest Gym battle against Sabrina, he's sure that he will feel more at ease as well._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	35. Chapter 35: THE BATTLE WITH A WET FUTURE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 35 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their way through Kanto. Sabrina and her parents, who have been named, make appearances in this chapter as well as Shinji Miyazaki's compositions and arrangements from the main series games as well as the episode references make appearances in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind, positive or negative, is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan finally faces Sabrina in what is expected to be a tough battle. Will his Wartortle have enough strength to defeat Sabrina's powerful Alakazam?**

 **Chapter 35: THE BATTLE WITH A WET FUTURE**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 as heard in "Volcanic Panic")_

 _Last time, Tristan and Hillary had the idea to throw a special party for Sabrina in an attempt for her to make new friends with the residents inot Safront City. Tristan invited Sabrina to dance along with him, and she happily accepted. Later, both trainers were in the middle of a heated, but friendly battle with Tristan using Pikachu, and Sabrina with Alakazam. Pikachu wasn't able to land one hit while Alakazam used its Psychic attacks to overpower and defeat it. Then, trouble arose when one of the steel beams on the stage broke off and headed toward a little girl, who sneaked onto it. Tristan quickly made an effort to protect the girl while he and Hillary managed to help Sabrina overcome her self-doubt. Having received that boost in confidence, Sabrina got Tristan and the girl out of danger and crushed the steel beam using psychic powers of her own. As a result, Sabrina had earned the respect of everyone in Saffron City, and the party was a huge success. Now, there's only one thing on Tristan's mind: how will he defeat Sabrina's Alakazam and earn his sixth Gym Badge?_

* * *

Tristan was up early the next morning, but wasn't feeling as cheerful as most mornings. He spent most of the morning in the Pokémon Center's lobby studying Alakazam on his Pokédex.

 _"Alakazam: The Psi Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"This Pokémon uses Psychic attacks. It can instantly identify its opponent's weaknesses."_

Tristan then gave a big sigh.

Hillary and Pikachu joined him in the lobby.

"Good morning, Tristan," said Hillary. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not really," answered Tristan.

"You don't seem like yourself this morning," said Hillary. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just nervous," replied Tristan. "I've never had to face a Psychic Pokémon like Alakazam in a Gym match before. Pikachu and I never landed a hit on it at last night's party."

"Good morning, Tristan," said a friendly voice.

Tristan turned around to see Nurse Joy coming in the lobby.

"I heard that you are facing off against Sabrina today," said Nurse Joy.

Tristan nodded.

"Most trainers feel nervous about facing Psychic Pokémon in Sabrina's Gym," continued Nurse Joy. "Try and have a good time, just like Sabrina did at the party."

"I think a good breakfast will cheer you up," added Hillary.

"Your sister does make a good point," smiled Nurse Joy. "After eating something good, you should feel better in no time."

Tristan thought about it and said, "I guess it's worth a try." And he followed Hillary into the Pokémon Center's cafeteria.

* * *

After breakfast, Tristan was feeling much more cheerful as he, Hillary, and Pikachu made their way to the Saffron City Gym.

"See, Tristan?" said Hillary. "I told you that food always helps."

"I'll have to remember that," chuckled Tristan.

Presently, they arrived at the Gym.

"This is it," said Tristan as he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Pikachu tugged at Tristan's legs to help him relax.

"I think you'll be fine," said Hillary. "Besides, you didn't get those other five badges for nothing, you know."

"You're right, guys," replied Tristan. "Let's go inside."

Just then, the doors opened and out came Sabrina and her parents.

"I knew you'd show up," said Sabrina.

Tristan was a little confused about why Sabrina said that. "Well, other than our promise to battle, did you actually predict the future?" he asked.

"I did," answered Sabrina.

"Good morning, kids," smiled Edward.

"You must be here for the Gym Battle," added Diana.

"I am," replied Tristan. "And I'm ready to go."

"Then let's go in," said Diana.

Everyone walked into the Gym just before the doors closed behind them.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan and Sabrina took their places on opposite sides of the Gym's battlefield.

"Thank you for planning last night's party," said Sabrina. "If it hadn't been for you and Hillary and my parents, I'd still be a lonely girl."

"We're glad we could help, Sabrina," replied Tristan.

"Even though we're friends, a battle is a battle, so I won't hold back," advised Sabrina.

"I may not know all the tricks your Alakazam may pull on me, but I won't be a quitter in today's battle," said Tristan.

Edward stepped up to his platform and explained the rules of the battle. "Each side will use one Pokémon with no substitutions. The battle will be over when either Pokémon is no longer able to battle."

"Go, Alakazam!" called Sabrina as she held out a Pokéball.

The Pokéball opened and Alakazam materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

But just then, a floating purple Pokémon with floating hands appeared out of the blue, surprising everyone.

"That must be the Haunter that you mentioned!" gasped Hillary.

"Yep, you got it," confirmed Diana. "I guess it just wanted to play.

"Well, this is something different," whispered Tristan to himself.

Haunter showed its affection to Sabrina by making funny faces.

Sabrina chuckled and said, "I'm happy to see you, too, Haunter, but I'm about to battle a challenger."

Haunter then felt sad.

"I'll tell you what," continued Sabrina. "You can watch me battle against this nice challenger."

Haunter then brightened up and floated right next to Sabrina.

"I've gotta try and outsmart that Alakazam somehow," thought Tristan. He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

The Pokéball opened and Wartortle materialized from the white light that shot out of it. Wartortle looked like it was ready for battle.

"I just hope Wartortle will have enough strength to win," thought Tristan. "With as much training as we've done together, Alakazam still has an advantage. However, I refuse to let that stop us from getting that badge."

"Both Wartortle and Alakazam are evenly matched when it comes to type," said Diana to Hillary.

"But Alakazam is fully evolved and Wartortle isn't," replied Hillary. "That puts Wartortle at a serious disadvantage."

"But take a good look at Tristan right now," said Diana.

Sure enough, Tristan didn't seem fazed at all by facing Alakazam in battle.

"You're right, Diana," replied Hillary. "I think he can win this one." Then she cheered Tristan on. "Go get her, Tristan! You can do it!"

"Let this one-on-one battle begin!" announced Edward as he raised both arms in the air.

"Wartortle, shoot a Water Gun attack at Alakazam now!" ordered Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

Wartortle quickly shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth at Alakazam, easily scoring a direct hit.

"Yes! Way to go, Wartortle!" shouted Tristan.

Little did Tristan know that as Alakazam took on the water, it didn't seem fazed at all, and neither was Sabrina.

"Why is Sabrina just standing there?" asked Hillary.

"That's a good question," replied Diana. "Most people would think that Sabrina would be lost in thought right about now. But maybe she's got a strategy or two up her sleeve that Tristan isn't noticing."

Sure enough, Sabrina just stood there as if nothing was going on.

"Wartortle, try a Bubble attack!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle shot a stream of bubbles at Alakazam, and they seemed to score a direct hit on Alakazam, but again, Sabrina just stood there as if nothing happened.

"What's going on? Alakazam's just standing there as if my attacks are feathers to it!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Very perceptive, Tristan," replied Sabrina. "Now it's our turn to attack. Alakazam, Psybeam!"

Alakazam fired a mysterious colored beam from between its two spoons at Wartortle and scored a clean hit.

"Wartortle!" cried Tristan.

"Sabrina means business," said Hillary. "That Alakazam of hers is well-trained."

"Yes, it does seem that Sabrina's throwing Tristan for a loop, doesn't it?" replied Diana.

Wartortle managed to dig in its foot claws and stay on its feet.

"Way to hang in there, Wartortle," said Tristan.

"Your Wartortle may be gutsy," replied Sabrina, "but guts alone won't win this battle. Alakazam, give it another Psybeam."

"Wartortle, fight back with Ice Beam!" commanded Tristan.

Alakazam shot another mysterious colored beam from between its two spoons while Wartortle shot an icy cold beam from its mouth. The two attacks were colliding against one another.

"Don't give up, Wartortle!" encouraged Tristan. "Show them what you can do!"

Wartortle put more power in its Ice Beam.

"Alakazam, keep pushing that Ice Beam back!" commanded Sabrina.

Alakazam then put more power in its Psybeam.

"Wow, I've never seen a battle as intense as this one," said Diana. "Sabrina and Tristan are really going at it."

"I just wonder who's going to win," added Hillary.

Alakazam and Wartortle continued to push the other's beam back to where it came from, but neither would give up without a real fight.

"Wartortle, maximum power now!" shouted Tristan.

"Turn it up, Alakazam!" commanded Sabrina.

Both Pokémon put all their hearts into their attacks. They were now bigger and much more powerful than before. There was such force in both attacks that the collision created a huge explosion.

Everyone covered their eyes from the blast.

"That was powerful!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I know!" replied Diana. "When Sabrina and Tristan battle, it's like there's a battle of wills! It's kind of hard to tell who will emerge victorious now!"

Alakazam and Wartortle were both struggling to avoid being sent backward from the force of the explosion.

"Alakazam, you can sense where Wartortle is. Find it and hit it with Psychic," instructed Sabrina.

"Wartortle, don't let Alakazam find you!" shouted Tristan.

Alakazam closed its eyes and focused on Wartortle's whereabouts. When it sensed Wartortle, it immediately opened its eyes, and they glowed in a red color.

Wartortle was lifted out of the smoke above the battlefield. It flailed in midair.

"Wartortle!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Gotcha!" said Sabrina.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "If Wartortle gets hit by one more attack, it's all over!"

Pikachu shouted in encouragement for Tristan and Wartortle.

"Come on, Wartortle, try and get yourself free!" cried Tristan.

Wartortle continued to flail above the battlefield with no chance of escape.

"I guess it's time to end this match," said Sabrina. "Alakazam, finish it off with Psybeam!"

With Wartortle still in its grip, Alakazam focused all its power between its two spoons, then it shot a mysteriously colored full-power beam at a defenseless Wartortle.

"Wartortle, aim your Water Gun attack at the ground!" ordered Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998-M01B)_

Wartortle strained as it opened its mouth. It shot a powerful stream of water at the ground, giving it just enough power not only to escape Alakazam's Psychic attack, but dodge its Psybeam as well.

"Whoa, that turned the tide!" said Hillary excitedly.

"I'll say," added Diana.

"I'll have to add this to my current events," finished Edward.

Wartortle landed neatly on its feet.

"That was great, Wartortle!" commended Tristan.

"Wartortle!" replied Wartortle happily.

"Okay, Sabrina, are you ready for more?" said Tristan. "Wartortle use another Water Gun attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Boy Trainer Appears)_

Wartortle shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth, but this one was much faster and much more powerful than the last several streams it shot. The force of the attack struck Alakazam, who was taken by surprise.

"Whoa, that's fast!" gasped Sabrina.

This left Hillary a little surprised. "I thought Alakazam couldn't feel Wartortle's Water Gun," she said to Diana. "Why is it more powerful now?"

"Well, Hillary," replied Diana. "It seems that Tristan's determination to win was so strong that Wartortle felt it, too. It's been wanting to fulfill the trust it has in all of his Pokémon. It isn't just the attack or the type of Pokémon you're using. If you put your trust in your Pokémon, they will trust you right back. And when that happens, anything is possible."

Hillary was amazed at what Diana just told her. "I never thought of that," she said.

Then she remembered the time back in Vermilion City when Squirtle was afraid of fighting the fire. It had been too scared to move away from the fire. Tristan had risked his safety to ensure its own. They then worked together to fight that fire.

"Now I understand what you're saying, Diana," said Hillary. "If you put your trust in your Pokémon and they put their trust in you, you'll be in perfect sync, right?"

"That's right," replied Diana. "Now you're getting it."

Sabrina smiled approvingly at how the battle was going. "This is the most fun battle I've had in quite a long time," she said. "I could battle on like this forever. However, every battle has to have an end."

"Right, and that end will result in me getting a badge, right, Wartortle?" said Tristan.

"Wartortle!" replied Wartortle.

"Alakazam, Psybeam!" instructed Sabrina.

Alakazam shot another mysterious colored beam from between the two spoons at Wartortle.

"Wartortle, dodge it and use your Skull Bash attack!" commanded Tristan.

Wartortle jumped out of the way of Alakazam's Psybeam, then with a silver aura glowing from its head, it rammed hard into Alakazam, giving it serious damage.

"Oh, no!" gasped Sabrina.

"I'll bet that took Sabrina by surprise," said Hillary.

"Now that's using your head," added Diana.

Alakazam had taken a lot of damage and got a lot of bruises on its body thanks to Wartortle's Skull Bash.

"How did you like that one, Sabrina?" asked Tristan.

"I thought that was great," replied Sabrina. "But now, it's time for a surprise. Alakazam, Recover."

"What's Recover?" asked Tristan.

Alakazam's entire body glowed in a yellow color. One by one, its bruises disappeared. Its body then stopped glowing and it felt stronger.

Tristan and Wartortle gasped in shock.

"It looks like Alakazam recovered from the injuries it took from Wartortle's Skull Bash!" remarked Hillary.

"Now the real battle begins," added Diana.

"Alakazam, Psybeam," instructed Sabrina.

Alakazam shot a mysterious colored beam from between its two spoons at Wartortle, striking it with a clean hit.

Wartortle slid backward but remained on its feet.

"Wartortle, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Wartortle slowly opened its eyes and nodded.

"Try another Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle shot another stream of water from its mouth, but this time, its aim seemed to be way off, and it missed its target.

"Wartortle, try and concentrate!" encouraged Tristan.

"What's going on with Wartortle?" asked Hillary.

"Psybeam has a secondary effect," answered Diana. "It can cause opposing Pokémon to become confused."

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary.

"Sabrina was counting on Alakazam's Psybeam to eventually confuse Wartortle, and obviously, she got it right."

"Well, now what, Tristan?" asked Sabrina. "You and Wartortle look as confused as ever. You'd better think of something, but don't think too hard or you're going to hurt yourselves." She then chuckled.

"There has to be a way for us to win this match," thought Tristan.

"Alakazam, Psybeam attack now!" commanded Sabrina.

Alakazam fired another mysterious colored beam from between its spoons at Wartortle.

That was when an idea sparked in Tristan's head. If Psybeam caused Wartortle to be confused, maybe taking Psybeam on at close range could snap it out of its confusion.

"Wartortle, use your Skull Bash!" ordered Tristan.

Wartortle, still in its confused state, complied with the order and took Alakazam's Psybeam head on. Both attacks caused another explosion, sending both Pokémon backward.

"Wartortle, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Wartortle stood up on its feet and opened its eyes. Its confusion had worn off thanks to taking Psybeam at a very close range.

"It looks like Wartortle snapped out of its confusion," said Hillary.

"Now that was impressive," added Diana. "The force of taking on Alakazam's Psybeam at close range caused Wartortle's condition to go back to normal."

"All right, Wartortle, now we'll show Sabrina what we can really do!" said Tristan.

Wartortle agreed with Tristan, and then it began to glow in a bright white light.

 _(Music Cue: Gym Version 2 as heard in "Houndoom's Special Delivery")_

Everyone gasped in shock and awe of what was happening, including Tristan.

"My stars!" gasped Edward. "I think Wartortle's evolving!"

Wartortle's glowing body began to grow in size. Its ears shrunk to become triangular ears. Its arms, legs, and shell became even thicker. When the light stopped, it looked different, and stood tall, even taller than Tristan.

"Wartortle just evolved!" said Hillary.

"Into what?" asked Tristan as he looked up his newly evolved Pokémon on his Pokédex.

 _"Blastoise: The Shellfish Pokémon: The evolved form of Wartortle,"_ identified Dexter. _"Blastoise's strength lies in its power, rather than its speed. Its shell is like armor, and attacks from the hydro cannons on its back are virtually unstoppable."_

"But I don't see any hydro cannons on its back," said Tristan.

Just as he said that, Blastoise's two hydro cannons on its back came out of its thick shell.

"Oh, there they are," chuckled Tristan.

Two powerful blasts of water shot out from the two cannons and struck Alakazam hard, sending it flying.

"Alakazam!" gasped Sabrina.

"What was that attack?" asked Hillary.

"Blastoise just learned how to use Hydro Pump!" answered Diana.

"That's awesome, Blastoise!" said Tristan.

"Okay, Tristan, no more playing around," said Sabrina. "Give Blastoise a Psychic attack!"

Alakazam's eyes glowed in a bright red color as it attempted to lift Blastoise into the air.

"All right, Blastoise, use Hydro Pump attack one more time!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise immediately fired two more powerful blasts of water from its cannons at Alakazam, scoring a direct hit in the process. Alakazam's Psychic attack had been cancelled out.

"Ice Beam attack now!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise fired an icy beam from its mouth at Alakazam, scoring another direct hit and freezing it solid.

"Whoa, now that's cold," said Hillary.

"Cold and wet," added Diana.

"Now's our chance, Blastoise," said Tristan. "Use Skull Bash at full power!"

Blastoise lowered its head as it glowed in a silver aura. Then, using all the strength it had, it rammed into Alakazam with such force that it not only shattered the ice, but sent Alakazam flying backward at tremendous speed into the wall.

"Alakazam, no!" cried Sabrina.

Alakazam had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Alakazam is no longer able to battle!" announced Edward as he raised his arm in Tristan's direction. "I hereby declare Blastoise and Tristan the winners!"

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

"All right, Blastoise! Way to go!" commended Tristan.

"Blastoise was awesome!" said Hillary.

Pikachu cheerfully agreed with her.

"That was a hot battle with a cold and wet finish," added Diana.

"You were just marvelous, Blastoise," said Tristan as he hugged his Pokémon. "I'm proud of you."

Blastoise gave a big strong hug right back.

Sabrina walked over to Alakazam and bent down next to it. "Are you okay, Alakazam?" she asked.

Alakazam nodded weakly.

"You were great," she said. "I'm real proud of you." She took out Alakazam's Pokéball.

A red energy beam shot out from the button, transforming Alakazam into red energy as it shot back in the ball.

Then, Sabrina stood up and proudly looked on at Tristan and Blastoise who were celebrating their latest victory. "That was a great battle, one of the best I've had in a long time," she thought.

* * *

Later, everyone stood outside the Gym.

"Tristan, the timing of your attacks, putting trust in your Pokémon, and, not to mention Blastoise's evolution: it was all just wonderful," said Sabrina."I'd have to say that all of those parts added up to be the best battle I ever had."

"Thanks a lot, Sabrina," replied Tristan. "You were a super tough opponent."

"That battle felt just like a day at the beach," remarked Diana.

"True," added Edward. "I haven't seen a battle this enjoyable since Ash was here."

Sabrina stepped forward to Tristan with a box in hand. She opened it and took something out.

"And now, Tristan," said Sabrina. "I'd like to present this Marsh Badge to you. It is proof of your victory at the Saffron Gym."

Tristan happily accepted the badge. "Thanks so much, Sabrina," he replied. "This one means a whole lot to me. I'll treasure it as I treasure my friendship with you."

Sabrina smiled. "You have earned my gratitude," she said. "It was super nice of you and Hillary to come to my aid when I needed it most. Now I feel more confident in my abilities and I know I can make new friends easily."

"That's the spirit, Sabrina," said Hillary. "I know you'll do a great job."

"Thanks," replied Sabrina. "I'll do my best."

Tristan proudly raised his new badge into the air and proclaimed, "The Marsh Badge! Yes!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

* * *

 _With his Marsh Badge in hand, Tristan now has six badges. He now only has two more to earn before he can participate in the Pokémon League. What will the last two Gyms be like? And will he be able to taste sweet victory at the Pokémon League? The excitement is just beginning, so stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	36. Chapter 36: FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, but here is Chapter 36 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue through Kanto. Kiyo from the anime appears, but some game counterparts of him appear, too. This chapter is a little shorter than most, but I've been thinking of other events that will be coming up in this story. Shinji Miyazaki's musical arrangements from the anime and the main series games appear in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet Kiyo, one of the masters of the Fighting Dojo, who challenges Tristan to a battle that's definitely worth fighting for! Who will emerge victorious?**

 **Chapter 36: FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT**

 _As Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu prepare to leave Saffron City, they're trying to figure out where their next destination is going to be, so they've stopped at the Pokémon Center to try and get suggestions._

"Any news on the Viridian Gym, Nurse Joy?" asked Tristan.

"The Viridian Gym is still under construction, but it's getting very close to being finished," answered Nurse Joy.

"That's too bad," said Tristan.

"Are there any other Gyms that we could try?" asked Hillary.

"Well, there is another Gym that is worthy of note," replied Nurse Joy. "The Gym is located on Cinnabar Island, which is famous for its huge volcano."

"I've never seen a real volcano before," said Tristan, "but I sure wouldn't want it to erupt while we're there."

"I wouldn't worry about that at all, Tristan," assured Hillary. "Cinnabar Island is a perfectly safe place."

Tristan still felt uncertain, but at last, he said, "All right. If Cinnabar Island is where my next Gym is, then I will go there."

Pikachu eagerly agreed with him.

* * *

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" said Tristan as he and Hillary walked through Saffron City some time later.

"What is it this time?" asked Hillary, who was seemingly uninterested.

"I found out that there's a Fighting Dojo somewhere in Saffron City," answered Tristan as he studied his map. "This is where we can see some Fighting Pokémon who can really fight and roll with the opponent's punches."

"Fighting Pokémon, huh?" said Hillary. "Well, if you're going to earn another badge, we might as well try to gain as much experience as we can get. Who knows? Maybe Cinnabar Island's Gym Leader uses Fighting Pokémon, or maybe Fire-types, just like a volcano."

"Let's check it out," replied Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced off to try and find the Fighting Dojo.

* * *

Soon, they came to an old-fashioned wooden building. Strangely enough, it was right next to the Saffron Gym.

"This must be it," said Tristan to his friends. "Let's go in."

"I can't believe we were next door to the Fighting Dojo when we were at the Gym," remarked Hillary. "How could we have missed that one?"

They all walked in, and as they entered, they saw many different Fighting Pokémon training alongside their black belt trainers, who wore karate attire. Some were lifting weights while others punched bags.

"Wow," said Hillary. "I would not want to be one of those punching bags."

Just then, a black belt shouted as he burst onto the scene, showing off his fists and mighty footwork, much to Tristan and Hillary's surprise. He landed neatly on his feet as he showed off his muscles, which were as hard as steel. He also wore a white headband.

"Whoa! He's scary!" cringed Hillary.

"Scary?" said the black belt. "Scary?! I may be rough and tough, but definitely not scary!" He then smiled. "Actually, I'm really a nice guy. The name's Kiyo. I'm one of the masters of this Fighting Dojo."

"It's nice to meet you, Kiyo," said Tristan. "I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary, and my best friend, Pikachu."

Pikachu greeted Kiyo warmly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all, too," replied Kiyo. "I've been training hard along with my Pokémon and students."

"What made you want to do some extra training, anyway, Kiyo?" asked Hillary.

"Well," replied Kiyo as he began his story. "It all started a few years ago...

* * *

"I was once known as the rough and tough martial arts Gym Leader of Saffron City. I had been training night and day to have opponents fight the good fight with me. I had won some battles and lost others, but was always honorable. Then one day, a trainer named Sabrina came to my Gym and challenged me to a battle for leadership of the Saffron City Gym, something that I never expected to happen. She seemed to be lonely and didn't have any emotions at the time.

"It turned out that Sabrina was training Psychic Pokémon. That, in turn, put my Fighting Pokémon at a huge disadvantage. My Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were no match for her Abra and its Psychic attacks. I'll never forget the words she said to me, and they were very hard to take, even for me."

"You could never defeat someone like me, especially with your Fighting Pokémon. From this day forward, this Gym is now a Psychic Gym, and I will be the Leader. This city needs real tough Trainers that don't just use their fists. They need to use their minds."

* * *

"I never suffered such an embarrassing defeat," said Kiyo. "Since then, I lost the license to be a Gym Leader. So I decided to put my defeat to good use and build this Dojo, which is where my students and I have been training for all this time while Sabrina reconstructed the Gym to better suit her purposes."

"That's an incredible story," replied Hillary. "I never knew you could challenge someone for leadership for a Gym."

"I read the news just the other day and found out that Sabrina is feeling much more comfortable around new people thanks to a party you two threw for her," added Kiyo.

"We did have some help," said Tristan. "Actually, Sabrina and her parents played a huge part in this successful party."

"I also heard that she had a Gym Battle with you, Tristan. How'd it go?"

"It went well. I won a Marsh Badge."

"That's great!"

"I've got an idea," suggested Hillary. "Why don't you two have a battle?"

"A battle against Kiyo?" asked Tristan. "What do you mean by that, sis?"

"I'm a little confused about that myself," added Kiyo.

"Think about it," said Hillary. "Kiyo likes to fight using his martial arts skills as well as his Pokémon. And Tristan uses his instincts, at least as best as he can. So maybe it would be a good idea to pit those two against one another to see who will be the winner."

"Well, what do you think, Tristan?" asked Kiyo.

Tristan eagerly stood up and said, "I accept."

"Now that's the attitude I like to hear," replied Kiyo. "There's a battlefield just over there."

* * *

Moments later, the stage was set. Tristan and Kiyo positioned themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield while Hillary and Kiyo's students watched.

"This may not be an official Gym battle, Tristan, but I'm still not going easy!" advised Kiyo.

"And neither am I!" replied Tristan.

"Would it be okay if we battled two-on-two?" asked Kiyo.

"That's fine with me, Kiyo," replied Tristan.

"Go, Hitmonlee!" shouted Kiyo as he threw his first Pokéball.

A brown humanoid Pokémon with an ovoid body materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had almond shaped eyes, and it had no nose, mouth, neck, or head. It had cream colored segmented arms and legs.

"Let's see what Dexter says," said Tristan as he scanned Hitmonlee with his Pokédex.

 _"Hitmonlee: The Kicking Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This nimble Pokémon launches lethal kicks from almost any position."_

"Wow, talk about kicking things off with a bang," remarked Hillary. "That Hitmonlee looks pretty powerful."

Kiyo's students agreed with her.

"Are you ready to go, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and eagerly jumped in front of Tristan, ready to face Hitmonlee.

"That's weird," thought Hillary. "Why would Tristan use a small Pokémon like Pikachu instead of using a big Pokémon like his Blastoise? He must want to challenge himself today.

"Don't let Hitmonlee's size scare you, Pikachu, because you have the heart and speed of a powerful Electric Pokémon," advised Tristan.

Pikachu nodded its response.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Let's begin now! Hitmonlee, start off with a Rolling Kick attack!" commanded Kiyo.

Hitmonlee charged at Pikachu, ready to kick it round the house.

"Here we go, now, Pikachu, use your Quick Attack to dodge it!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu nimbly avoided Hitmonlee's quick footwork as a white line trailed behind it.

"Keep on with your Rolling Kick, Hitmonlee!" encouraged Kiyo.

"Pikachu, keep up the Quick Attacks!" ordered Tristan.

Hitmonlee kept charging and kicking away at Pikachu, but Pikachu's Quick Attack was too fast for Hitmonlee's kicks to connect.

"That Pikachu really is fast," remarked Kiyo.

"Now, use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow stream of electricity shot out from its body at Hitmonlee.

"Okay, Hitmonlee, jump!" instructed Kiyo.

Hitmonlee used its strong legs to jump off the ground, dodging Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Both Pokémon landed neatly on the ground.

"That Hitmonlee's legs are really powerful," grunted Tristan. "Pikachu, jump and use Thunderbolt one more time!"

Pikachu jumped high into the air and shot another yellow bolt of electricity at Hitmonlee.

"I hope you're ready for this, my friend," said Kiyo to Tristan. "Hitmonlee, Double Kick!"

Using the power of its legs, Hitmonlee jumped off the ground and ascended much higher than Pikachu.

"Look out, Pikachu!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late, for Hitmonlee used its feet and legs to deliver the most powerful kick it could, and successfully connected with Pikachu, giving it serious damage.

"Pikachu, use Thunder attack, quick!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu charged up its electricity and zapped Hitmonlee at close range just before they crashed into the ground, causing a huge cloud of dust to form.

Everyone on the sidelines looked on in astonishment as they wondered who would emerge victorious.

When the dust cleared, both Pokémon appeared to be standing. Even though Hitmonlee had taken a lot of damage from Pikachu's Thunder attack, Pikachu succumbed to the damage from the impact of Double Kick and the crash landing. It fell backward and fainted.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Well done, Hitmonlee," commended Kiyo.

Tristan carefully picked Pikachu up in his arms and carried it off the battlefield. "Thanks, Pikachu," he said. "I'm very proud of you. You deserve a nice rest."

Pikachu replied weakly.

Tristan walked over to Hillary, who was waiting.

"Great battling, Pikachu," smiled Hillary. She turned to Tristan. "I'll take care of Pikachu for you. Now get back in there and win!"

"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best." He walked back to his side of the battlefield. "Okay, Kiyo, this battle isn't over yet."

"Let's see which Pokémon you're going to use against my Hitmonlee.

Hitmonlee panted heavily as it struggled to stay on its feet.

 _Hitmonlee's really exhausted,_ thought Tristan. _Now's the time to attack._ "Ivysaur, I choose you!" he shouted as he threw a Pokéball.

Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. Compared to Hitmonlee, Ivysaur was well-prepared for battle.

"Hitmonlee, try a Mega Kick!" commanded Kiyo.

Ivysaur, Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Hitmonlee charged at Ivysaur, but the damage from the Thunder attack it carried from its last battle with Pikachu wore it out considerably. However, Ivysaur successfully rammed into an exhausted Hitmonlee, knocking it out instantly.

"No, Hitmonlee!" gasped Kiyo.

"Well done, Ivysaur," said Tristan.

Ivysaur nodded.

Even though Ivysaur had an easy win, Tristan knew Hitmonlee would have been tough to beat had it not been for the damage it sustained from Pikachu's Thunder attack. Even though there was nothing at stake, he still maintained his focus on the battle.

Kiyo returned Hitmonlee to its Pokéball and held it close. "You were great, Hitmonlee," he commended. He looked up and faced Tristan. "Your Pokémon have been trained exceptionally well, but there's no way I'll let you win that easily." He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Go, Hitmonchan!"

A tan humanoid Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of its Pokéball. It wore a light purple tunic, kit, and boxing shoes while it had red boxing gloves.

Tristan scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Hitmonchan: The Punching Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon fires punches in lightining-fast volleys that make them almost impossible to see."_

"Talk about a one-two punch," remarked Hillary. "First, Hitmonlee, and now, Hitmonchan! There's no telling how strong that Pokémon is!"

"Hitmonchan, show them your Agility!" instructed Kiyo.

Hitmonchan dashed toward Ivysaur, briefly disappearing from one spot to another from side to side, taking it by surprise.

"That's fast!" gasped Hillary.

"Fire Punch now!" commanded Kiyo.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Beach Blank-Out Blastoise"))_

Instantly, one of Hitmonchan's fists ignited with flames. Then, focusing the fiery energy, it thrust it toward an unsuspecting Ivysaur and struck it, thus giving it major damage.

"Ivysaur!" cried Tristan.

"Wow!" exclaimed Hillary. "That Fire Punch was red-hot! And it was an effective hit, too!"

Ivysaur slid backward, but was still in the battle.

 _That Hitmonchan's tough,_ thought Tristan. _What power! I never expected it to know a Fire attack._

"I see my Hitmonchan's Fire Punch attack took you by surprise," remarked Kiyo. "Does that mean you're ready to admit defeat?"

"Not by a long shot, Kiyo!" replied Tristan. "We may be down, but we're far from out! Ivysaur, give Hitmonchan a Razor Leaf attack!"

Ivysaur shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves from the bud on its back at Hitmonchan.

"Block those leaves with your fists, Hitmonchan!" instructed Kiyo.

Using the rapid movement of its fists, Hitmonchan successfully cut every one of Ivysaur's leaves down to size.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"Now, Hitmonchan, fire a flurry of Mega Punches!" ordered Kiyo.

Hitmonchan charged at Ivysaur and readied itself to punch Ivysaur in quick succession.

"Ivysaur, block those punches with your Vine Whip!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur shot two vines from the bud on its back and proceeded to block Hitmonchan from moving in close. Time after time, Hitmonchan tried to get in a clean hit, but Ivysaur's Vine Whip was just too much of an obstacle to get close enough.

Kiyo's students were shocked at how Ivysaur's Vine Whip could be used for blocking attacks just like Hitmonchan's fists. To them, it was like watching a boxing match between two Fighting Pokémon. Hillary was just as surprised at this turn of events as they were.

Ivysaur and Hitmonchan continued to come at each other using their vines and fists, respectively.

"Looks like a stalemate," said Kiyo. "But not for long. Hitmonchan, give it a Fire Punch!"

Hitmonchan's fists ignited with flames once again.

Tristan knew he had to get Ivysaur away as quick as possible. He thought quickly and shouted, "Ivysaur, use your Vine Whip to jump!"

Ivysaur thrust its vines into the ground. Then, with all its might, it lifted itself up over Hitmonchan, much to Kiyo's surprise.

"Now, Ivysaur, hit Hitmonchan with your best full-strength Tackle attack!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur did a midair somersault and aimed its full body at Hitmonchan. The force of gravity helped Ivysaur score a huge direct hit, causing Hitmonchan to crash into the ground hard, creating a cloud of dust. When it cleared, Hitmonchan had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998)_

At first, Tristan was shocked, but his shock turned to excitement and joy. "Yes, we did it!" he shouted as he ran toward Ivysaur.

"He actually won," said Hillary in awe. She was shocked that Ivysaur overcame all sorts of troubles to emerge victorious against Hitmonchan.

Kiyo's students were shocked, too, but knew that Tristan had earned his victory.

Ivysaur and Tristan embraced one another.

"You were awesome, Ivysaur," said Tristan.

Ivysaur nodded approvingly, for now it had proven it could hold its own in battle, even against Pokémon who knew some Fire attacks.

Kiyo returned Hitmonchan to its Pokéball, which he held close. "Hitmonchan, you put up a great fight," he said. _But I have to admit,_ he thought as he looked at Tristan and Ivysaur, _they put up a better one._

* * *

Some time later, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Kiyo stood outside the Fighting Dojo.

"You're leaving Saffron City?" asked Tristan. "But why?"

"Yeah, I thought you were happy to run the Dojo and teach your students the martial arts of a Pokémon battle," added Hillary.

"Well, let's just say that I still have a lot more to learn," replied Kiyo. "I think I'm going to start training at the Cianwood Gym. I'm hoping I can get into the Gym and learn some new techniques under the teachings of master Chuck. In the meantime, I'll have one of my students run the Dojo for me while I'm gone."

"We know you'll do well, Kiyo," said Hillary.

"So, where are you kids off to next?" asked Kiyo.

"I'm going to try and earn my seventh badge on Cinnabar Island," answered Tristan.

"Well it looks like you're going to have a hot time in that old town," said Kiyo.

Everyone laughed.

* * *

 _An experience of fighting the good fight has left Tristan and Kiyo with a better sense of understanding one another's battling styles. And so, with another fierce battle behind him, Tristan prepares to leave Saffron City for Cinnabar Island and his next Gym Battle._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	37. Chapter 37: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 37 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through Kanto. Neon Town and Grampa Canyon are their next destinations, and I based this chapter on the episode "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon." This chapter obviously takes place after Ash's visit there. Many of the prehistoric Pokémon from that episode make appearances in this chapter. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and arrangements as well as episode references make appearances also. Brock makes an appearance in a flashback. As always, please feel free to read and review, and feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary find themselves in Grampa Canyon. After a lunch break, Tristan ends up trapped in an underground cave! How will Tristan find a way out with a bunch of territorial prehistoric Pokémon, let alone an Aerodactyl who wants Tristan as its lunch?**

 **Chapter 37: A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE**

 _A few days after leaving Saffron City, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu briefly find themselves in the city that never sleeps: Neon Town. It may be loud there, but little do they know that an even louder adventure is waiting for them just outside of it._

"Boy, this city sure is busy," said Tristan as he covered his ears from all the noise.

"And loud!" added Hillary. She covered her ears, too.

Pikachu agreed with them as it covered its ears as well.

"Maybe we should get out of here and find another route," suggested Tristan. "I don't know if Neon Town was part of our trip."

"Even if it was, I'm ready for some peace and quiet," replied Hillary. "Let's go."

"Stay close, guys," advised Tristan. "I don't want to lose you."

And they walked out of Neon Town as quickly and quietly as possible so they wouldn't attract any attention.

* * *

An hour later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found themselves in the woods.

"Ah, peace and quiet," sighed Hillary.

"We needed this," added Tristan. "It was so loud in Neon Town that I couldn't concentrate."

"Pika Pika," replied Pikachu.

Tristan took his map out of his backpack and began to study it. "Let's see," he said. "We were just in Neon Town, and we came this way. And if we came this way, we should be near a big canyon."

"A canyon?" asked Hillary. "I hope we're not getting lost again."

"We should be fine," replied Tristan as he put his map away and took out his compass.

Then they all started walking again.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

Fifteen minutes later, Tristan and his friends arrived at the canyon that he studied. The views were breathtaking.

"Tristan, is this it?" asked Hillary.

"I believe it is," answered Tristan. "This must be Grampa Canyon."

"Grampa Canyon?" repeated Hillary.

Tristan nodded. "I heard that there was an incident here due to appearances of extinct Pokémon."

"What's does 'extinct' mean?" asked Hillary.

Tristan was a little perplexed at the question and replied, "Uh, I'm not sure exactly."

Hillary slapped her face in embarrassment. "Maybe it's time you looked it up in the dictionary."

Just then, Tristan's stomach grumbled, causing him to be embarrassed, too. "I guess it's time for lunch," he said sheepishly.

"Did you bring anything good today?" asked Hillary.

"Just several sandwiches," answered Tristan.

"All right!" said Hillary excitedly. "Do you think you can have your Pokémon join us?"

"I don't see why not," replied Tristan as he took out his five Pokéballs and tossed them in the air. "Okay, guys, it's lunch for six!"

Ivysaur, Charmeleon, Blastoise, Pidgeot, and Lapras materialized from the white lights that shot out of the Pokéballs. Everyone stared at Lapras, particularly Ivysaur, Charmeleon, and Pidgeot. Lapras became nervous, even though it remembered Pikachu's face.

"Lapras seems to be pretty shy," remarked Hillary.

Tristan gathered his Pokémon around him. "Everyone, this is Lapras, your newest friend and teammate," he said.

Everyone greeted Lapras warmly. Lapras felt better after that.

"There's another thing you should know guys," continued Tristan. "Blastoise and Pidgeot recently evolved, so don't be afraid."

Everyone replied happily.

"Butterfree has also gone on a long trip, and it won't be back with us for awhile, but our old friend will come back and be with us again someday soon," finished Tristan.

All of Tristan's Pokémon looked up in the sky and silently remembered the many adventures they had with Butterfree. Lapras looked up, too, despite not actually meeting Butterfree face to face yet.

"Tristan, are we just going to stand there looking at the sky or are we going to have our lunch?" asked Hillary impatiently.

"Oops, I forgot," replied Tristan. "Let's eat guys!"

Everyone replied in exuberance.

"Finally!" said Hillary.

Tristan took out the ingredients for the Pokémon and mixed them well.

"What are you doing, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"Wait and see," said Tristan as he continued on. In a matter of minutes, he put the finished food into bowls. He turned to his Pokémon who were eagerly waiting. "All right, guys, dig in!"

All the Pokémon looked at the food and gave it a taste. Sure enough, they were delighted.

"Wow, Tristan, that's remarkable!" said Hillary. "How did you do it so well in so little time?"

"Well, just before I had my first Gym Battle, I asked Brock if I could learn a few good easy recipes," answered Tristan as he began his short story.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Reunion)_

"I realized that Brock wouldn't be traveling with us on a regular basis," explained Tristan. "So on the night before I had my first Gym Battle, I went up to Brock and asked him."

"Making good homemade Pokémon food is easy," said Brock. "It takes some skill and persistence, but with enough practice, I'm sure you'll get it down it in no time."

"So I helped out with the ingredients and I followed the instructions," continued Tristan. "However, I still made more than my share of mistakes. I wouldn't give up until I got it just right. And when I did, I practiced again and again until I knew the recipe inside and out."

* * *

"I'm very happy because not only can I make good Pokémon food, but I can make sure that every Pokémon that tastes it enjoys it to their heart's content," finished Tristan.

"That's a great story," said Hillary. "Now what about us? What about the sandwiches?"

"Oh, that's right. I'll get 'em," said Tristan as he dug into his backpack and took out two plastic bags, each containing a sandwich.

"Let's sit down with the Pokémon and dig in ourselves," suggested Hillary.

"I agree," replied Tristan as he and Hillary sat down to lunch and marveled at the sights of Grampa Canyon.

* * *

After a relaxing lunch, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu explored deeper into the canyon. Presently they saw a sign ahead and ran toward it.

"DANGER," read Tristan in his normal voice. "Claims of a prehistoric Pokémon living under the canyon have been reported. Also, due to the danger of cave collapses, digging is strictly prohibited."

Hillary gasped in worry. "Do you think that we're in danger, Tristan?"

Hillary's question was soon answered for they suddenly felt the ground rumbling under their feet.

"What's that?" asked Tristan worriedly.

Tristan and Hillary then discovered that they were standing in a pile of rubble, which was about to collapse under them!

"Tristan, look out!" yelled Hillary as she and Pikachu quickly escaped the rumbling.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

But it was too late for Tristan, for the rubble collapsed under him, opening a hole in the earth, and he shouted as he fell into the abyss below, and in his panic, he dropped one of his Pokéballs next to Hillary's feet.

"TRISTAN!" yelled Hillary at the top of her lungs.

The hole closed just as quickly as it opened, trapping Tristan.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! as heard in Mild 'n Woolly")_

Tristan braced himself for the inevitable until he quickly had an idea. "Pidgeot, I choose you!" he shouted as he took out a Pokéball and held it tightly as it opened.

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball as it dove down below him. It knew its Trainer was in danger, so it judged the speed of Tristan's fall and positioned itself perfectly for him to land safely on its back.

Tristan wiped his head and sighed with relief. "Thanks a lot, Pidgeot," he said. "Your timing was just perfect."

Pidgeot replied as it landed safely on the ground.

Tristan dismounted and quickly checked his surroundings. He saw that he and Pidgeot ended up in an underground cave hundreds of feet below the surface. Fortunately, there was air coming from above so they could breathe easily.

 _(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

"There has to be some way we can get out of here," said Tristan. That was when another idea struck him. "Maybe Blastoise can help us!" He tried to find Blastoise's Pokéball, but soon realized that he couldn't find it on his belt. He then got worried. "Uh-oh. I must've dropped Blastoise's Pokéball when I was trying to escape the rubble." _I just hope Hillary and Pikachu are okay,_ he thought.

* * *

"Tristan!" called Hillary at the top of her lungs. "Can you hear me? Please answer if you can!"

"Pika pi!" called Pikachu.

But all that was heard were the sounds of their voices echoing all across Grampa Canyon.

"He has to be here somewhere," said Hillary. "I just hope he's okay."

Just then, Pikachu pointed to a Pokéball next to the hole where Tristan fell into.

"Uh-oh!" gasped Hillary. "Do you think Tristan dropped this Pokéball by accident when he fell, Pikachu?"

Pikachu replied with uncertainty.

"We have to keep looking for him!" said Hillary. "He has to be okay!"

Presently, a siren wail was heard and a motorcycle came. It stopped next to Hillary and Pikachu. A female police officer was on it. It was Officer Jenny.

"This area is a danger zone," warned Officer Jenny. "You have to leave immediately."

"But Officer Jenny," protested Hillary, "my big brother fell down this hole after the rubble collapsed from under him!"

"What?!" gasped Officer Jenny. "When did this happen?"

"Just a few minutes ago!" replied Hillary. "Please, you've gotta help us look for him! We've tried calling his name, but we haven't heard from him!"

"Hold on, then," said Officer Jenny. "I'll get some help." She took out her radio and spoke into it. "Dispatch, this is Officer Jenny. We have a ground collapse in Grampa Canyon with one person trapped. Advise responding units to bring their pickaxes to help dig their way into the canyon."

"Ten-four, Officer," replied the dispatcher.

"Help should arrive in a few minutes," Officer Jenny told Hillary. "We'll have your brother rescued in no time."

"I didn't realize that this area was a danger zone," said Hillary. "But why is that?"

"Well, during the Great Fossil Rush that happened here about a year ago, some Pokémon thieves planted the canyon with dynamite," explained Officer Jenny. "Apparently, they succeeded in opening up this big hole, and caused a few people and Pokémon to end up trapped just like your brother is now."

"Why would they do that?" asked Hillary.

"Those thieves wanted to steal some Pokémon fossils that all the tourists collected," answered Officer Jenny.

"I'll bet that was Team Rocket," said Hillary as she clenched her fists.

"And to add to that," continued Officer Jenny, "reports of a prehistoric Pokémon surfaced in the canyon, and it had one human in its claws as it flew high in the sky. And after a Jigglypuff put everyone to sleep, that Pokémon fell asleep, also. In the end, nobody got hurt, but due to the danger of further cave collapses like this one, this area was considered a danger zone."

"Tristan might be in danger right now because he doesn't know about this, either," said Hillary.

"Then we'd better start digging for him ourselves," replied Officer Jenny. She then saw the Pokéball held in Hillary's hand. "Is that a Pokéball?"

"Yes, I think it might be Tristan's," answered Hillary. She threw it and shouted, "Go!" Then she thought, _Please be a_ _strong Pokémon._

The Pokéball opened and a white light shot out of it, and Blastoise materialized from it, much to Hillary and Pikachu's relief.

"Blastoise! Thank goodness!" said Hillary. "We need your help. Tristan's trapped below the surface and we need you to dig inside the canyon to help get him out."

Blastoise replied and started lifting one heavy boulder after another.

"We'd better start digging, too," advised Officer Jenny.

* * *

Tristan continued to explore the canyon on foot while Pidgeot flew along.

"There's got to be a way out of here," said Tristan. "Do you think you can find one, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeot replied and flew above Tristan, not wanting to leave him behind should any danger come. It scoured the area with its keen eyesight, but couldn't find an exit.

"No good, huh?" said Tristan.

Pidgeot landed on the ground and replied sadly. But just then, it sensed something and stayed perfectly still.

"What is it, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan.

Pidgeot didn't answer Tristan's question for it was sensing something coming toward them. It kept looking in all directions using its keen eyesight. Then it saw eight pairs of red eyes approaching them.

 _(Music Cue: The Mighty Mewtwo)_

Tristan saw the red eyes, too. "Whoa!" he said. "Whatever it is doesn't appear to be too friendly!"

The first pair of red-eyed creatures revealed themselves from out of the shadows. They were blue ammonite Pokémon each having ten tentacles and a helix-spiraled shell on their backs.

"I wonder what all these Pokémon are," said Tristan as he scanned the first pair of Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Omanyte: The Spiral Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Believed to have lived over two billion years ago, recent research indicates that it was able to control its buoyancy by storing and releasing air in its shell."_

The second pair of Pokémon revealed themselves from out of the shadows. They looked a lot like Omanyte, but they had spikes on their shells, wider eyes, and fang-like beaks.

Tristan quickly scanned the second pair of Pokémon as Dexter identified them.

 _"Omastar: The Spiral Pokémon: The evolved form of Omanyte. This extinct Pokémon is believed to have used its sharp fangs to break through the shells of its prey in order to feed."_

Next, the third pair of Pokémon revealed themselves from out of the shadows. They had large brown shells and four short yellow legs. Tristan checked them out next.

 _"Kabuto: The Shellfish Pokémon. Although this Pokémon is believed to be extinct, it had a hard shell that protected its body and is believed to be a strong swimmer."_

"Shouldn't you have said 'has' a hard shell, Dexter?" said Tristan. "Because these Pokémon look very much alive to me."

Finally, the last pair of Pokémon revealed themselves from out of the shadows. They resembled living skeletons with half-moon disc-shaped heads and two large sharp gray scythes. Tristan quickly scanned them.

 _"Kabutops: The Shellfish Pokémon: The evolved form of Kabuto. Believed to have been a slim and fast swimmer, Kabutops sliced prey with its sharp sickles and drank the body fluids."_

It was obvious that all the Pokémon weren't at all happy with Tristan and Pidgeot's intrusion and surrounded them.

"We've got trouble," said Tristan, trying to stay as calm as possible.

* * *

Meanwhile back on the surface, a team of firefighters with pickaxes in hand helped Hillary, Pikachu, Officer Jenny, and Blastoise remove the heavy boulders one by one.

 _Hang on, Tristan,_ thought Hillary. _We're doing everything we can to rescue you, and that's a promise I intend to keep._

When they tossed enough boulders aside, a big hole was revealed.

"I see an opening!" cried Hillary excitedly.

"All right, then," said Officer Jenny. "Let's go and rescue the person who's trapped!"

* * *

Back in the cave below, Tristan was trying to figure out why Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops were so upset. "Please, everyone," he said. "We mean no harm. We fell into this cave by accident, and I promise that we don't want to battle or hurt you. All we want to do is get out of here."

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))_

But the Pokémon didn't listen. Instead, they called for backup. More Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops surrounded Tristan and Pidgeot, leaving them with nowhere to run.

"These Pokémon have us trapped!" exclaimed Tristan. "There's no other choice. We'll have to battle our way out." He took out two more Pokéballs and threw them. "Ivysaur, Lapras, I choose you!"

Ivysaur and Lapras materialized from the white lights that shot out of them and readied themselves for battle.

All the Pokémon started charging for Tristan and his Pokémon for an attack.

"Lapras, Water Gun attack! Ivysaur, use your Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras fired a powerful stream of water from its mouth at the fossil Pokémon in one direction while Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves in another.

They scored hits, but neither would give up without a real fight, so they charged in again.

"Those Pokémon look like they're really strong," said Tristan. "Go, Pidgeot, blow them away with your Gust attack!"

Pidgeot furiously flapped its wings and created huge gusts of wind like hammers at the fossil Pokémon.

The fossil Pokémon were hit by the hammer-like gusts, and one by one, they fell back.

However, Omastar proceeded to spin quickly, using the spikes on its shell to try and attack Tristan's Ivysaur and Lapras. Kabutops charged using the scythes to try and attack Pidgeot.

Pidgeot narrowly dodged Kabutops' Slash attack, while Ivysaur and Lapras both avoided Omastar's attack.

"Okay, everybody, let 'em have it!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeot flapped its wings furiously, creating another Gust attack; Ivysaur fired another Razor Leaf attack; Lapras shot another Water Gun from its mouth. All the attacks combined into one powerful blast and struck all the fossil Pokémon, causing them to beat a hasty retreat.

"Boy, that was a close one," said Tristan. "Thanks, everyone." However, he wasn't certain if the combined blast was the only reason why the fossil Pokémon ran away.

Just then, Pidgeot sensed something else, and it knew it was much worse than the threat that they just encountered.

"Is something coming, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Brutal Pokémon Appears (orchestra version))_

Just when Pidgeot was about to reply, a large shadow swooped down from out of nowhere. Pidgeot managed to avoid it in time, but unfortunately, Ivysaur was struck by the large shadowy figure, sending it flying backward into one of the walls.

"Ivysaur!" cried Tristan as he ran toward it. "Are you okay?"

Ivysaur gave a weak reply and fainted.

"You'd better get some rest, Ivysaur," advised Tristan as he returned it to its Pokéball. He then turned to see a large reptilian bipedal Pokémon with large membranous wings revealing itself coming out of the shadows. It had a gaping mouth with many sharp teeth.

The large Pokémon landed on the ground and roared loudly to signal its appearance, and it looked like it was very angry.

"That's a scary roar," said Tristan as he scanned the large Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Aerodactyl: The Fossil Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon was resurrected from the genes of an ancient dinosaur. This Pokémon uses its sharp claws to capture its prey and uses its fangs to go for its throat."_

"Now I understand why the others ran away," said Tristan. "They knew that Aerodactyl was coming, so they ran deep inside this cave so they could avoid any danger."

Aerodactyl roared again, and it was louder than its last one.

Everyone covered their ears from the loud roar.

As soon as the roaring stopped, Tristan uncovered his ears. Unafraid, he faced Aerodactyl. "You've got some nerve attacking my Ivysaur from out of nowhere like that, Aerodactyl!" scolded Tristan. "Why did you have to hurt it?"

Aerodactyl just stood there as if it didn't hear him.

"Well?" said Tristan, who was getting more impatient. "It's time for you to explain yourself!"

Aerodactyl just stood there and roared, causing everyone to cover their ears again.

The roaring stopped again and everyone uncovered their ears.

"It doesn't look like Aerodactyl wants to listen to me," said Tristan to his Pokémon. "I guess we'll have to battle this one, too. So we'll have to be tough." He turned to Aerodactyl. "Now, you listen! Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to pick on smaller people or Pokémon! You may have huge teeth and sharp claws, but you don't mess with us! Because if you do, we'll make sure you lose!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Aerodactyl had heard enough of Tristan's ranting, so it flapped its huge wings and flew toward Tristan and his Pokémon.

"Run for it, guys!" shouted Tristan as he, Lapras, and Pidgeot ran away from Aerodactyl as fast as they could. But just then, Tristan tripped and fell on the ground.

Pidgeot turned and saw Tristan in danger, so it turned tail and quickly rammed into Aerodactyl using Quick Attack to protect him.

Pidgeot landed next to Tristan and helped him get back on his feet.

"That was close. Thanks, Pidgeot," said Tristan.

Pidgeot bent down so Tristan could climb on its back, and he immediately did so. They quickly took off above the ground to try and outrun Aerodactyl.

"This is much faster than running," said Tristan as he hung on tight to Pidgeot. "Let's just hope Aerodactyl isn't as good as catching us as the Pokédex says it is."

But just then, Aerodactyl flew behind Tristan and Pidgeot and proceeded to grab him from above!

Tristan looked over his shoulder as Aerodactyl closed in on him. "Lapras, use your Ice Beam attack, fast!" he cried.

Lapras fired an ice-cold beam from its mouth and tried to hit Aerodactyl with it, but time after time, it avoided Lapras's attack.

Aerodactyl proceeded to grab Tristan with its huge claws.

Tristan braced himself as he hung on to Pidgeot as tightly as he could in order to avoid being grabbed.

But just then, a yellow stream of electricity shot out from out of nowhere and struck Aerodactyl, dealing some damage to it.

Tristan turned around to see Hillary, Pikachu, Officer Jenny, and Blastoise running to his rescue.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 1) 1997-1998 as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne")_

"We're coming, Tristan!" shouted Hillary.

"Are you all right?" asked Officer Jenny.

"I am now," answered Tristan. "You guys came just in time."

Pidgeot landed back on the ground, allowing Tristan to dismount.

Tristan and Hillary ran to each other and embraced.

"I'm so glad you're okay," said Hillary. "I had Blastoise help dig into the canyon to try and find you."

"That was just the right thing to do," replied Tristan. "You stayed calm and gave Officer Jenny the information she needed. I'm very proud of you."

Hillary handed Tristan a Pokéball. Sure enough, it was Blastoise's Pokéball. "I believe this is yours."

"Thanks a lot, sis," replied Tristan.

"Perhaps you want to save the reunion for later," advised Officer Jenny. "That Pokémon looks pretty peeved."

Sure enough, Aerodactyl charged in for another attack, and tried to grab Tristan again.

But Tristan wouldn't have any of that. "All right, Blastoise, give Aerodactyl a dose of your Hydro Pump," he instructed.

Blastoise's cannons were extended, and two powerful blasts of water shot out from them at Aerodactyl.

Aerodactyl narrowly dodged them, but didn't see Lapras standing in front of it, waiting to attack.

"Lapras, Water Gun!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras shot a powerful close range stream of water from its mouth at Aerodactyl, blasting it backward. The powerful attack was too much, and it caused Aerodactyl to retreat back to where it came from.

"Way to go, guys," said Tristan.

Blastoise and Lapras nodded and replied happily.

"Now let's see if we can get out of here," said Hillary.

"Agreed," said Tristan as he returned Lapras to its Pokéball. He turned to Blastoise. "Blastoise, do you think you can help us get out of here?"

Blastoise nodded.

"Hillary and Officer Jenny, go ahead and hop on Blastoise," said Tristan.

They both did as told while Tristan and Pikachu got on Pidgeot's back.

Blastouse quickly soaked the ground with Hydro Pump, then it used the sharp claws on its hands to quickly dig a large tunnel.

"All right, let's go!" shouted Tristan as he and Pikachu held on to Pidgeot

Blastoise led the charge as Hillary and Officer Jenny held on tight and Pidgeot followed them.

It was a fast ride for all parties as everyone held on for dear life and Blastoise continued to dig through the walls.

Moments later, Blastoise emerged above the surface of Grampa Canyon while Pidgeot flew out right behind it.

Pidgeot landed right next to Blastoise just before everyone dismounted. They all cheered for their latest victory over being rescued from a cave with an Aerodactyl almost making Tristan its next meal.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"Boy, I'm sure glad that's over," said Tristan as the sun started to set.

"So am I," added Hillary.

"I'm just glad I came along when I did," said Officer Jenny. "Grampa Canyon has been labeled as a danger zone ever since the first cave collapse."

"We were just trying to find our way to Cinnabar Island so I could compete for my seventh badge," explained Tristan. "I didn't know that this area was off limits."

"Well, then, you're in luck," replied Officer Jenny. "Just take this road out of Grampa Canyon, and you'll find the way back to Fuschia City. Once you're there, take the sea to Cinnabar Island."

"Thanks a lot, Officer Jenny," said Hillary. "You've been a really big help."

"You're very welcome," replied Officer Jenny. "Take care, kids!"

"You, too," said Tristan and Hillary together as they set off and waved good-bye.

Pikachu waved good-bye also.

* * *

 _Well, this is an adventure that will go down into history for Tristan and Hillary as they continue on towards Cinnabar Island._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	38. Chapter 38: WATER PHOBIA

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 38 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue through Kanto. I was inspired to write this chapter thanks to an episode of Digimon called "20,000 Digi-Leages Under the Sea," and a boy named Cody makes an appearance in this chapter; however, it is NOT the same Cody from that franchise, which, I believe, is owned by their respective owners. Shinji Miyazaki's music cues and arrangements from the games as well as the episode references are in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary meet a little boy named Cody, who is afraid of the ocean. But when Tristan gets swept out to sea, it's up to Cody to summon up all his courage to face his fear and save the day!**

 **Chapter 38: WATER PHOBIA**

 _(Music Cue: Let's Run! (as heard in "Friend and Foe Alike"))_

 _Tristan and Hillary have finally made it back to Fuschia City, but it looks like they're in a big rush! It turns out that there's a ferry that's about to leave for Cinnabar Island, and they only have a few seconds left before it leaves without them!_

"Hey, wait for us!" called Tristan as he continued to run.

"Yeah, we're coming!" shouted Hillary.

Pikachu ran right on their heels.

But the ferry's whistle tooted, and it started to leave the harbor.

Tristan and Hillary got to the pier just as the ferry disappeared out of sight. They stopped and sighed in despair.

"This is all your fault, Tristan!" accused Hillary.

"What do you mean it's my fault?" retorted Tristan.

"If you hadn't asked for another big batch of pancakes at the Pokémon Center this morning, we wouldn't have missed the boat!" fumed Hillary.

"Well, if you hadn't taken your sweet time getting ready to go to the pier, we would have just made it, and I would have been ready to challenge the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader!" yelled Tristan.

"I can't stand your stubborn attitude!"

"Gee, I'm heartbroken!"

"Wanna know what your problem is?"

"I already know!"

Just then, a thought crossed Tristan's mind. "Hey, I know. Maybe Lapras can take us to Cinnabar Island!"

"Oh, yeah! I forgot about that!" replied Hillary. "The Silph Company's president said that Lapras was a good swimmer, and I'm sure it'll be more than happy to give us a lift."

"Lapras, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball.

Lapras materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and appeared next to them in the water.

"Lapras, could you please give us a ride?" asked Tristan.

Lapras cooed with delight.

"Come on, sis, let's go!" said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu got on Lapras's back. They all departed Fuschia City's dock and set off into the open sea at once.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Surf (The Sea (orchestra version with the violins)))_

"This was a great idea, Tristan," smiled Hillary as she and her friends continued across the sea an hour later. "Now we won't have to worry about catching ferries for awhile. We can just have our big Water Pokémon give us a ride instead, plus we'll stay dry!"

But Tristan didn't give a reply. He felt very sorry for himself.

"Hey, what's gotten into you?" asked Hillary. She now felt concerned.

"About what I said before?" replied Tristan. "I'm really sorry I yelled at you. I guess I was just so excited to get to my next Gym battle that I got carried away. So I asked for the next big batch of pancakes without thinking about the busy schedule that we had."

Hillary now understood why Tristan felt so down. "Actually, I should be apologizing to you, Tristan," she replied. "I spent too much time getting ready for the day that we missed the boat. And I took my anger out on you. It really wasn't fair."

Tristan understood what Hillary told him. "Siblings argue every now and then, and sometimes we don't think as clearly when we do," he said. "Let's try and forget that this ever happened."

"It's a deal," replied Hillary.

She, Tristan, and Pikachu marveled at the open sea and the blue sky.

Lapras looked like it was having a blast carrying them all on its back.

"Are you doing okay, Lapras?" asked Tristan.

Lapras gave a happy response.

Tristan smiled. He knew that caring for Pokémon, big or small, was a big responsibility as a Pokémon trainer. So he knew he had to put his Pokémon's needs ahead of his own.

They soon saw the ferry that they had missed earlier, and swam alongside it.

"This is definitely the way to travel, isn't it, sis?" said Tristan.

"You said it, big bro!" replied Hillary as she waved to the passengers on the ferry.

Pikachu agreed with them.

Three grown-up passengers on the ship's deck saw Tristan and Hillary riding on Lapras as it swam past the ship. They became jealous.

"That's no fair!" complained the first one. "How did those kids end up riding a big Pokémon that can swim?"

"Yeah, we're stuck riding ferries across the sea to certain destinations at certain times!" added the second one.

"While they get a free ride whenever and wherever they want to go!" finished the third one.

However, younger kids were awestruck at Lapras swimming by with children on its back. It disappeared from view of the passengers soon after.

Presently, Tristan and Hillary saw an island ahead.

"Land ho, Lapras!" called Tristan.

Lapras replied and swam straight for the island.

"What's up, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "Are we almost to Cinnabar Island?"

"No, but we're going to take a little break on that island," answered Tristan. "Besides, our legs could use a stretch." He turned to Lapras. "Full speed ahead!"

Lapras cooed happily as it continued swimming toward the beach of the island.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lapras arrived on the island a few minutes later.

"Thanks for the ride, Lapras," said Tristan as he and the others got off of Lapras's back. "Your swimming was excellent. I don't know if you're tired, but I'm going to let you rest for a little while."

Lapras gave a gentle reply as Tristan returned it to its Pokéball.

Tristan took out his map from his backpack and studied it. "According to this map, we must be on Seafoam Island," he said. "It has a really cool beach, like the one we're on now."

"Maybe we should go find some seashells or something," suggested Hillary.

"That's a great idea, right, Pikachu?" replied Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them as usual.

 _(Music Cue: Today's Kanto Pokémon Curiosity)_

Presently, they saw a little boy in swim trunks running away from the beach to hide from something inside a tent.

"I wonder what that kid's running away from?" said Hillary.

"Maybe we should find out," replied Tristan as he and his friends ran toward the sandy beach.

Meanwhile, a woman was trying to convince the little boy to come out of the tent.

"Oh, come on out, Cody. Water's nothing to be afraid of," said the woman.

"Yes, it is!" protested the boy. "I'm not going in and that's final!"

The woman sighed as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu approached.

"Excuse us," said Hillary. "Is there a problem?"

"Actually, there is," answered the woman. "My son, Cody, is afraid of the water. He won't go anywhere near it, even though I've told him it's harmless."

"It sounds like he doesn't like ocean very much, does he?" said Tristan.

"Is Cody hiding in that tent?" asked Hillary.

The woman nodded. "Every time we go to the beach, he always runs away from the water. But I don't know why he's afraid of it so much." She suddenly remembered that she hadn't introduced herself yet. "By the way, my name's Desirée."

"Hi, I'm Tristan," said Tristan. "This is my sister, Hillary, and my Pokémon friend, Pikachu."

Pikachu greeted Desirée.

"It's nice to meet you all," replied Desirée. "Would you do me a little favor?"

"Sure, what can we do for you?" asked Hillary.

"Maybe you can befriend Cody and get to know him a little better," suggested Desirée. "I can't get him to tell me why he's so afraid of water."

"We can help out with that," replied Tristan.

"Yeah, just leave it to us," added Hillary.

"Thank you," said Desirée. "You're both very kind. I'm going to go relax on one of the lounge chairs." And she walked away, leaving Tristan and his friends alone to deal with Cody.

Tristan peeked inside the tent where Cody was hiding. "Hi, Cody," whispered Tristan. "Are you okay?"

There was no response from Cody.

"Are you afraid of the water?" asked Tristan in a quiet voice.

Cody slowly turned around and said, "Yes."

Hillary also peeked inside the tent. "We understand that you're afraid, but maybe we can help you. Would you like that?"

Cody thought about it and replied, "Only if you promise not to laugh."

"We won't laugh," said Tristan.

Cody slowly turned around and crawled outside the tent to meet Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. He began to tell his story.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken (as heard in "A Shadow of a Drought"))_

"It all started about a year ago," explained Cody. "I saw a really scary movie on T.V. late one night. It was about some sailors who were going on a cruise across the sea. It was then that the ship sailed into a nasty storm."

"What happened next?" asked Hillary.

"Multiple Gyarados appeared out of the blue and stirred up a deadly water cyclone," continued Cody. "They were using their Dragon Rage attacks to do it. Gyarados are well known to have vicious tempers, spreading violence and destruction in their wake, and it was no surprise that these Gyarados sent all the sailors spiraling out of control into the cyclone and flying into the raging waters."

* * *

"That's a pretty scary situation," said Tristan. "Did the sailors make it out alive?"

"All the sailors survived, but seeing them get tossed around by that water cyclone has given me nightmares about it," replied Cody. "Every night, I'd dream that those Gyarados would stir up a water cyclone and trap me at the bottom of the ocean with no way out. I always woke up afterwards, but I've been too scared to go anywhere near the water ever since." Tears began to form in his eyes. "I'm even too scared to go to sleep." He buried his face in his arms and began to sob.

"We understand your fear," said Hillary, comforting him. "It was just a movie, but we totally get why you're scared. We think the reason is the ocean is something you never had the chance to see and experience for yourself. Isn't that right?"

Cody nodded in embarrassment.

"Some things about the water can be dangerous," added Tristan, "but there are things above and below the water that'll make you feel great."

"And if you want, we'll help you learn to deal with the water gradually," said Hillary. "What do you say?"

Cody stopped crying long enough to wipe his tears away. "All right," he said. "I'm ready to try and face my fear."

"That's the spirit!" said Tristan excitedly. "And we'll be here as long as it takes to help you out."

"Thanks, guys," replied Cody. Then, he thought to himself, _I just hope it's the right thing to do._

* * *

Tristan and Hillary switched into their swimming gear and met up with Pikachu and Cody, who were waiting for them.

"All right, Cody," said Tristan, "the first thing that we're going to do is to put our feet in the water."

"B-but..." shivered Cody.

"Relax, Cody," Hillary assured him. "It's like we said. We're just going to do this gradually. And we'll be here as long as it takes to help you."

"Right," replied Tristan. We'll start by putting our toes in the water first." He slowly put his toes into the water. He started to shiver himself. "Boy, that's cold."

"It looks pretty scary," gulped Cody. "But I'll try it." He slowly proceeded to the water's edge and put his toes in. Once they got wet, he immediately got them out. But he never stopped trying. He put his toes in over and over again, keeping them in longer and longer each time.

"Great, Cody!" commended Tristan.

"Ready to go a little further?" asked Hillary.

"Okay," replied Cody.

"Then let's put our feet in," suggested Hillary.

Cody walked even further into the water until his feet were submerged.

"That's the way, Cody!" said Tristan excitedly. "Now let's go even further."

But before he could, a red pincer came and pinched Cody's big toe, making him yell out in pain. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" he cried as he ran from the water, trying to shake the culprit off.

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard in "The Totodile Duel"))_

"Cody, come back!" shouted Hillary. "It's just water!"

"Get this thing off of me!" yelled Cody.

Tristan and Hillary soon discovered that the pincer belonged to a crustacean Pokémon with two small spikes facing upwards. Its upper body was red.

Tristan quickly scanned the Pokémon on his Pokédex.

 _"Krabby: The River Crab Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon lives on beaches and seashores. If a pincer falls off, a new, stronger pincer grows back in its place."_

"So, it was Krabby who disrupted our swimming lesson," said Tristan. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu charged toward Krabby with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully scored a direct hit on Krabby, prying it loose from Cody's toe and sending it back into the water.

Tristan and Hillary quickly rushed to Cody's aid.

"Are you okay, Cody?" asked Hillary.

"My toe hurts," moaned Cody.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "Quick, Tristan, get your first aid kit!"

"I'm on it," replied Tristan as he ran off like a shot. In no time, he returned with his first aid kit in hand.

Tristan and Hillary quickly put a waterproof bandage on Cody's injured toe.

"How's that feel, Cody?" asked Hillary.

"It feels a little weird, but I feel a lot better," answered Cody. "I sure didn't expect a Krabby to give my toe a crabby attitude."

"That's for sure," agreed Tristan. "Are you ready to get back in the water?"

"I think so," replied Cody. "Let's do it!"

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone was able to continue where they left off.

"Now remember, Cody," said Hillary. "Let's take it nice and slow."

"Okay," replied Cody. He was still a little uncertain about his experience with the water, but he slowly and carefully moved further into the water. He was now up to his knees.

"That's excellent, Cody!" commended Hillary.

"I think I'm starting to..." began Cody, but a sudden burst of water splashed onto him, making him shout out in surprise.

Tristan chuckled as Hillary looked at him disdainfully.

"Tristan, that wasn't very nice!" scolded Hillary. "You should know better than to splash someone like that!"

"Sorry, Hillary," said Tristan, "but when you have friends, sometimes you just can't resist a water fight! So I figured I should splash someone just to show how fun it was!"

 _(Music Cue: Come Along (as heard in Pokémon Food Fight"))_

"Oh yeah? How about I splash you!?" retorted Hillary as she splashed water onto Tristan, making him jump in surprise.

Even Pikachu joined in on the fun and splashed the both of them.

Cody looked at Tristan and Hillary's water fight from a distance. "That does look like fun," he said. He walked into the water to try and sneak up on Hillary to splash her, little realizing that he was getting deeper into the water. He sneaked up behind Hillary and started splashing her, making her jump.

"Hey!" she shouted playfully. "What was that for, Cody!?" Then she saw that Cody was three feet deep in water. "Hey, Tristan, look at this!"

"Look at what?" asked Tristan. Then he saw Cody, too. "Cody, look at you! You're conquering the fear of water all by yourself!"

"Well, I saw you two having fun in that water fight, so I figured I should join in," replied Cody.

"That's great, Cody," said Tristan.

They continued to splash each other for what seemed like hours until Tristan had another idea. "I'll be right back," he said as he dashed out of the water.

* * *

A moment later, he reappeared with a Pokéball in hand.

"What are you doing, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I think Cody would love to meet this Pokémon," answered Tristan as he tossed a Pokéball into the air.

The Pokéball opened and Lapras appeared out of the white light that shot out of it.

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Cody hid behind Tristan at first. He wasn't used to seeing anything so big. "This Pokémon won't hurt me, will it?" he asked.

"Don't be silly, Cody," replied Tristan. "Lapras is very gentle."

"You know, Cody," said Hillary, "I bet Lapras would be more than happy to give you a ride."

"You really think so?" asked Cody.

"Sure," replied Hillary. "Go ahead."

Little did they know of the danger that approached, for just then, a big wave was headed straight for them.

"Okay," said Cody. "I'll try it." Suddenly, Cody stopped.

"What's wrong, Cody?" asked Hillary.

"I'm not sure," replied Cody. He paused for a second. "Something doesn't feel quite right."

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan.

"Just take a look at these waters," said Cody as he pointed to the water below.

Sure enough, the water started showing signs of foam and unusual color, and was beginning to drag them further and further into the ocean.

"When the water behaves like this, it can only mean one thing," said Cody. He then realized that they were all in great danger. "There's a big wave approaching us! I think we'd better make a run for it before it's too late!"

Hillary, Pikachu, Lapras, and Cody managed to get away and make it to shore, but Tristan was caught in the big wave and was headed out to sea alone!

"Where's Tristan?" asked Hillary as she frantically searched for him.

Pikachu pointed out to sea.

"He's out there!" gasped Cody as he pointed, too.

 _(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

Tristan was so far out at sea they could barely see him. He tried swimming toward shore, but the waves wouldn't let him. He waved his arms and bravely called for help, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the waves.

"Hold on, Tristan! I'll go and get Blastoise for you!" shouted Hillary. She turned to Cody. "Make sure you keep an eye on Tristan, Cody!" And she raced off with Pikachu to try and find Blastoise's Pokéball.

Cody stood there, petrified that Tristan could drown in the waves, but Lapras gently tapped on his back to snap him out of it and to boost his confidence. "Thanks, Lapras," he said. "I needed that. I'm going to need your help, though. Tristan's in trouble and he needs help. Will you let me get on?"

Lapras happily replied as Cody quickly got on its back.

"Let's go get Tristan! Hurry!" commanded Cody.

Lapras quickly made its way to the ocean and swam to get Tristan as fast as its flippers would carry it.

Tristan, on the other hand, was having trouble navigating through the rough waters. _I sure hope somebody sees me soon,_ he thought.

Suddenly, he heard a welcoming voice. "Don't worry, Tristan! We're here to help you!"

Tristan turned to see Cody riding on Lapras's back without fear.

"Lapras! Cody!" cried Tristan excitedly.

"We have to figure out a way to help Tristan!" he said frantically. Just then he saw a big wave headed their way. "Lapras, do you think you can ride that wave to get to Tristan?"

Lapras nodded.

"All right, let's go for it and shoot the curl!" he shouted as he hung on to Lapras.

Lapras turned at an angle and rode the wave with water rushing over their heads, but they showed no signs of fear. Slowly, but surely, they reached Tristan.

"Quick, Tristan, grab my hand!" strained Cody as he reached his hand out.

It was a quite a struggle for Tristan to reach Cody's hand, but the two hands connected, and he was lifted safely on board Lapras's back.

"Let's try and get back to shore!" said Tristan.

"Right!" replied Cody.

"Ahoy!" called a voice.

Tristan and Cody turned to see Hillary and Pikachu riding on Blastoise's back.

"Perfect timing!" said Tristan.

Blastoise assisted everyone out of the waves and they all headed straight to shore.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Everyone was trying to catch their breath even after the excitement was over.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Cody.

"I'm fine now, thanks to you, Cody," replied Tristan.

"You were awesome, Cody," added Hillary. "How did you know that a big wave was coming?"

"I've lived here on Seafoam Island for most of my life," answered Cody. "When the water starts getting foamy and discolored, that's a pretty good indication that a rip current is forming. Those things can be dangerous, and can sweep you out to sea if you're not careful. However, only one or even none of those signs can surface at any time."

"You and Lapras were brave enough to go out and rescue me," said Tristan. "I'm very proud of you for conquering your fear of the water."

"Well, I had to face this sooner or later," replied Cody.

Tristan turned to Hillary. "You should be proud, too, sis," he said. "You had Blastoise come and get me, too, in case Lapras and Cody couldn't do it on their own. I should thank you as well.

"Aw, don't mention it," replied Hillary. "You're just fortunate that you trained two very strong Water Pokémon."

"Cody!" called a voice. "Cody!"

Everyone turned to see Cody's mother, Desirée, coming to meet him.

"Hi, Mom!" said Cody as he ran to his mother and hugged her.

"Did you have a good time with the kids?" asked Desirée.

"Yes, Mom, I did," replied Cody, "and they helped me conquer my fear of the water, even though I'm still scared of it sometimes. I even helped rescue my friend, Tristan, who was swept out to sea."

Desirée was surprised, but then smiled. "You may be braver than you think," she said. "I've never been more proud of you." She turned to Tristan and his friends. "I owe you a big thank you for helping my son today."

"We were just glad we could help, ma'am," replied Hillary.

"Can we come back to the beach tomorrow, Mom?" asked Cody.

"Of course we can, but for right now, we have to get back home," replied Desirée. "The sun is starting to set."

Sure enough, the sunset painted the skies and the sea in a golden color as everyone looked on.

"I have to go now, but thanks for everything, guys!" called Cody as he waved goodbye to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. "I'll see you later!"

"Bye, Cody!" called Tristan and Hillary as they waved goodbye.

Pikachu waved goodbye, also.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To Be Continued)_

Night fell as Tristan and Hillary walked on the beach in their regular clothes.

"I'm sure glad that I have a wonderful sister like you, Hillary," said Tristan.

"I am, too," replied Hillary. "Of course, life wouldn't be the same without you."

"Wasn't it fun when we went swimming on the beach?" said Tristan.

"I certainly had fun today," replied Hillary, "except when I almost lost you to those waves."

"Let's just be glad that I'm still here, thanks you you and Cody," said Tristan.

"Don't forget Lapras and Blastoise, too," reminded Hillary. "They were the ones that helped do the work."

"Anyway, let's go see if we can find a Pokémon Center," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary. "I'm ready for a good meal and a great night's sleep."

"I was kind of hoping we could get to Cinnabar Island today," said Tristan. "But I'm just glad we were able to help Cody face his fear of the ocean."

"You said it, Tristan," smiled Hillary.

"I'll race you to the Pokémon Center!" called Tristan as he started running off.

"No fair! Wait up!" called Hillary as she ran after him.

* * *

 _Thanks to Tristan and Hillary's help, Cody was able to conquer his fear of the ocean, and save Tristan in the process. Now it's on to the Pokémon Center to rest for the night as they think about Tristan's seventh Gym battle on Cinnabar Island._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	39. Chapter 39: THE SYMPOSIUM OF RESEARCH

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 39 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Professor Westwood V from "The Evolution Solution" makes an appearance as well as Professor Oak. This chapter is slightly shorter, but don't worry, more chapters will come. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and his friends meet Professor Westwood V on Seafoam Island. They promised to share a presentation of Slowpoke and Shellder, bu will it be enough to please the crowd?**

 **Chapter 39: THE SYMPOSIUM OF RESEARCH**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1)_

 _Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are still on Seafoam Island, getting ready to depart to Cinnabar Island. But today, they have now planned to meet someone famous who lives there. Right now, they're speaking with Pokémon expert, Professor Oak, at Seafoam Island's Pokémon Center._

"It's nice to hear from you two," said Professor Oak on the video phone. "It's certainly been quite awhile. Where are you guys calling from?"

"We're calling from Seafoam Island, Professor," answered Tristan.

"We thought we'd take a break from all the training we've been doing for some fun in the sun," added Hillary.

"That sounds like fun," said Professor Oak. "I know someone who lives on Seafoam Island who I think you'd be delighted to meet."

"Who's that, Professor Oak?" asked Tristan.

"His name is Professor Westwood," answered Professor Oak.

"What's so special about Professor Westwood?" asked Hillary.

"Professor Westwood is the person who originally programmed the Pokédex," answered Professor Oak. "Professors are renowned for studying Pokémon and making new discoveries."

"That's awesome, Professor Oak," replied Tristan.

"Say, would you two mind doing me a favor for me?" asked Professor Oak.

"Sure, what's up?" wondered Hillary.

"I'd like you two to represent Professor Westwood at the Pokémon Symposium tonight," answered Professor Oak. "It's being held on Seafoam Island. He's supposed to give a lecture on Slowpoke and Shellder and how they benefit one another."

"We'll do that, Professor," replied Tristan.

"I can't thank you enough," said Professor Oak. "I've gotta go, but I hope to talk with you again real soon. Say hello to Professor Westwood for me!"

Pikachu waved goodbye, too as the video screen turned off.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears)_

"Now who were we supposed to meet again?" asked Tristan.

"Don't you remember, Tristan?" replied Hillary. "We're going to meet Professor Westwood. We promised Professor Oak that we'd represent him at the Pokémon Symposium tonight."

"Oh, that's right," said Tristan. "How much further do we have to go?"

"Actually, we're here," answered Hillary as she pointed to a big building.

Sure enough, they had arrived at Professor Westwood's laboratory. They ran up to the door and rang the bell.

The door opened and out stepped a partially bald man with blue hair and a round nose. He wore a lab coat with a green collared shirt underneath. "Ah, who have we here?" he asked.

"You must be Professor Westwood," said Tristan.

"Actually, you can call me Westwood V," replied the professor. "Professor Westwood sounds much too formal."

"My name's Tristan," said Tristan. "And this is my friend, Pikachu."

Pikachu greeted Professor Westwood V.

"And my name's Hillary," said Hillary. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Professor Oak asked us to represent you at the Pokémon Symposium tonight."

"Fascinating," said Professor Westwood V. "It'd be an honor."

* * *

Professor Westwood V led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu through his laboratory a few minutes later.

"A year ago, I was researching Slowpoke and why Shellder attaches to it. When Shellder clamps down on Slowpoke's tail, it becomes a Slowbro."

"Hey, Tristan, maybe Dexter has some information about Slowpoke," suggested Hillary.

"Let's see," replied Tristan as he pushed a few buttons on his Pokédex and found Slowpoke's entry.

 _"Slowpoke: The Dopey Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"No one can tell what a Slowpoke is thinking, if it ever does think. Its specialty is fishing with its tail."_

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Dexter," scolded Tristan.

"One of my assistants wrote down that particular entry," explained Professor Westwood V. "And 'dopey' sounds like a very accurate description of Slowpoke's mental capacity. But I happen to have a Pokémon that will help clear the air."

In stepped a pink bipedal Pokémon with a tan striped belly and muzzle. It had a Shellder on its tail, but it was shaped like a spiral shell.

"So that's what a Slowbro looks like," said Hillary as Tristan scanned Slowbro in his Pokédex.

 _"Slowbro: The Hermit Crab Pokémon: The evolved form of Slowbro,"_ identified Dexter. _"Though it generally prefers to avoid conflict, it can use powerful Psychic attacks."_

"I've researched Slowbro and Shellder extensively ever since I met Ash and his friends last year," explained Professor Westwood V. "Thanks to them and that battle against Team Rocket, I've learned that when Shellder clamps down on Slowbros's tail, it helps Slowbro balance when it stands on two feet.

"That's cool," remarked Hillary.

"Slowbro's front legs are free," continued Professor Westwood V, "so it can use attacks like Mega Punch if it wants to."

"That make a lot of sense, Westwood Five," replied Tristan. "And the reason why Shellder can travel on land with Slowbro is because it's clamped down on its tail, right?"

"That's right," answered Professor Westwood V. "It sounds like you're studying up on your Pokémon, young man. Quite exemplary."

"My dream is to become a Pokémon master," replied Tristan. "I already have six badges, and I'm hoping to go for my seventh one on Cinnabar Island. And once I get all eight, I can enter the Pokémon League."

"Impressive, young man," remarked Professor Westwood V.

Just then, he looked at his watch. The hands pointed to exactly three p.m.

"Oh, no!" yelped Professor Westwood V. "I promised I wouldn't lose track of time, and I only have two hours to get ready for my big meeting with the Pokémon Symposium to share my momentous discovery on Slowpoke!" He made a mad dash to five portraits hanging on the wall. "Please forgive me, Westwood the First, the Second, the Third, the Fourth, the Fifth!" He then stopped. "Oh, I forgot, that one's me."

"Westwood Five, are you okay?" whispered Hillary.

"Oh, I always tend to act up this way when I get all panicky and whenever I make a simple mistake," explained Professor Westwood V. "These first four portraits are pictures of my ancestors." He pointed to the pictures one by one. "The first one is Westwood the First, who is my great-great-grandfather. The second one is his son and my great-grandfather, Westwood the Second. The third is his son and my grandfather, Westwood the Third. The fourth is his son and my father, Westwood the Fourth. The fifth one is his son, me, Westwood the Fifth; although I have to say the mustache looks very different from what I'm wearing today."

Sure enough, Professor Westwood V had no mustache on him, and he looked exactly like the first four Westwoods in the pictures.

"Hopefully," he continued, "I hope to have a statue of me instead of the Westwood Family Portrait hanging on my wall. I'll be rich and famous! Ha ha ha!"

Tristan took Hillary aside and whispered to her, "Westwood Five sounds a little eccentric, doesn't he?"

"Well, he does have his way of sharing his excitement," replied Hillary.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Professor Westwood V left the laboratory and walked toward where the meeting was held.

Professor Westwood V was so nervous his hands began to shake. "I don't know if I can do this," he said. "What if they don't like my presentation? What if they boo me out?"

"You'll be great, Westwood Five," replied Tristan.

"I agree," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with the both of them.

"And I agree, too," said a voice.

Everyone turned around to see a familiar figure wearing a red collared shirt and a white lab coat standing right behind them. They all gasped in surprise. "It's Professor Oak!"

Sure enough, it was Professor Oak, and he nodded.

"What a pleasant surprise," said Hillary. "But what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come over to Seafoam Island and see my longtime colleague at his long-awaited presentation," answered Professor Oak. "This event was so well thought out that I couldn't miss it."

"It's great to see you, Professor Oak," said Tristan.

"Likewise," replied Professor Oak. He turned to Professor Westwood V. "Now, Westwood Five, don't forget that we're all here with you, and we'll do whatever we can do to help you out."

Professor Westwood V smiled. He now felt much more confident. "Thank you, everyone."

* * *

Night fell as everyone gathered around to listen to Professor Westwood V's presentation. There were a lot of spectators who were eager to learn about how Slowpoke and Shellder shared a mutually beneficial relationship.

Professor Oak came to the lectern with Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Professor Westwood V and began the meeting. "I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight to learn about Slowpoke and Shellder," he began. "Ever since I can remember, Professor Westwood V has been a dear friend to me. He is the professor who programmed the Pokédex with my assistance, of course. He is also the fifth generation of the Westwood clan. That's why most folks know him as Westwood Five. And now, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the famous Professor Westwood V."

Everyone clapped as Professor Oak handed the microphone over to Professor Westwood V.

"Thank you all for coming," said Professor Westwood to the audience. "I may be just a little nervous right now, and sometimes I may seem that way in general."

Everyone chuckled at the funny remark.

"But tonight," he continued, "I will be helped thanks to these two bright young kids you see standing right beside me. Please be sure to give them a warm welcome."

Everyone clapped as Tristan and Hillary looked at them.

"Now," said Professor Westwood V, "I'd like to present some information about Slowpoke." He turned to Tristan. "Young man, if you please, turn to Slowpoke in your Pokédex."

Tristan did as told and pushed a few buttons on his Pokédex. In no time at all, Slowpoke's picture appeared and he showed it for everyone in the crowd to see.

"This is a Slowpoke," explained Professor Westwood V. "It is known as the Dopey Pokémon, but I didn't write that particular entry; one of my assistants may have written down that particular entry. Be that as it may, 'dopey' sounds like an accurate description of Slowpoke's capacity. It may be slow, hence the name Slowpoke, however, it does have the ability to fish remarkably well using its tail."

Everyone oohed. They had no idea that Slowpoke was good at fishing.

"Now, young man, look up Shellder's entry for me," said Professor Westwood V to Tristan.

Tristan pushed some more buttons on his Pokédex. The picture changed to a picture of a Shellder. He turned the Pokédex so everyone could see it.

"This is what a normal Shellder looks like," continued Professor Westwood V. "Like most Water Pokémon, it can use a variety of attacks, and it can evolve."

Everyone awed in wonder.

"Now, I'd like to present a slideshow," continued Professor Westwood V as he turned to Hillary. "Young lady, would you mind doing the honors for me?"

"It'll be my pleasure, Westwood Five," answered Hillary as she pushed a button on a remote.

A video screen came down, and a projection of Slowpoke and Shellder appeared.

"This is a Slowpoke and Shellder," explained Professor Westwood V. "These two share a most interesting relationship, as you're about to see. When Shellder clamps onto Slowpoke's tail, Slowpoke will evolve into a Slowbro. Observe."

Sure enough, on the video screen, Shellder clamped down on Slowpoke's tail, and then both of them glowed in a bright white light. When the animation finished, Slowpoke had evolved into Slowbro and Shellder transformed into a spiral shell.

"As you can see, Slowbro has the ability to walk on two feet instead of four," explained Professor Westwood V. "It can use attacks using its front legs. Not only that, because Shellder is clamped tight onto Slowbro's tail, it may now travel on land with Slowbro."

Everyone was astounded.

"And that, my friends, is the story of how Slowpoke and Shellder have a mutually beneficial relationship," finished Professor Westwood V.

Everyone in the crowd clapped as Tristan and his friends looked on.

"Well done, Westwood Five," said Professor Oak. "That presentation will make it into the history books for sure."

"Well, Oak," replied Professor Westwood V, "I couldn't have done it without the help of these kids."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all smiled.

"And as a result, I have a reward to give you," added Professor Oak. "I plan to recommend a statue of you to the Pokémon symposium."

Everyone clapped as tears of happiness formed in Professor Westwood V's eyes. "Thank you very much, Professor Oak," he said. "This is truly an honor."

Tristan and Hillary cheered for Professor Westwood V's greatest achievement to date.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were about to leave Seafoam Island on Lapras's back.

"As I remember," said Professor Westwood V, you kids are heading to Cinnabar Island."

"That's right," replied Hillary. "Tristan's going to try and earn his seventh Gym Badge."

"I wish you the best of luck in your next Gym battle," said Professor Oak.

"Thanks a lot," replied Tristan.

Soon, Lapras started swimming away from Seafoam Island as the kids and Pikachu waved goodbye to Professor Oak and Professor Westwood V.

* * *

 _Having helped Westwood Five with his latest presentation of Slowpoke and Shellder, Tristan and his friends now embark for Cinnabar Island and Tristan's seventh Gym Battle._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	40. Chapter 40

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is the 40th chapter of The Adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu in Kanto. Dr. Fuji from the anime, his wife make appearances in this chapter, and Amber is mentioned. I was inspired to write this chapter from watching the English dubbed version of Mewtwo's origin. Just a reminder that I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names are trademarks of Nintendo. I own Tristan and Hillary, though. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrive on Cinnabar Island and explore an abandoned mansion. Inside, they find journal entries that go as far back as 20 years before the present day. These journal entries transport them back to these events, but who or what is causing it, and what mysteries will they discover?**

 **Chapter 40: MYSTERY OF THE LEGENDARY POKÉMON**

 _(Music Cue: Surf the Sea (Version 2 with Violins) as heard in "The Battling Eevee Brothers"_

 _Today, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are enjoying a nice ride as Lapras takes them through the open sea. They are just about to arrive on Cinnabar Island. It's there that Tristan plans to battle for and win his seventh Gym Badge. But little do they suspect that they will find some mysteries on the island._

"I can't wait till we get there," said Tristan eagerly. "Once we do, I'm going to challenge the Gym Leader right away!"

"But sometimes, Gym Leaders can take breaks, too," advised Hillary. "Other times, they do training, just like you do. You never know how strong a Gym Leader may be."

"I wouldn't worry about that at all, sis," replied Tristan. "Besides, I didn't collect my other six Gym badges for nothing. And I know this Gym battle will be hot, just like Cinnabar Island."

Hot was right, for Tristan saw a big volcano in the distance.

"That must be the big volcano Nurse Joy in Saffron City was talking about," said Hillary. "We must be at Cinnabar Island!"

"All right, Lapras," said Tristan, "full speed ahead toward Cinnabar Island!"

Lapras replied and swam toward the island.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Lapras arrived at the dock a few minutes later.

"Thanks for the ride, Lapras," said Tristan.

"There's no doubt that you're a good swimmer," added Hillary as she gently stroked Lapras on the head.

Lapras cooed happily as it was being stroked.

"Lapras seems to like the attention," said Tristan as he gently stroked it, too.

Lapras loved it when both Tristan and Hillary petted it.

When they were finished, Tristan took out Lapras's Pokéball. "I'll let you get some rest for now, Lapras," he said. A red beam of energy shot from the center, transforming Lapras into red energy itself as it disappeared into the ball. "Now let's see if we can find the Gym."

Tristan and Hillary walked through the many crowds of people visiting Cinnabar Island.

"It looks like those guys just want to tour the island," groaned Hillary. "We must have fallen into a tourist trap."

"But the Gym has to be here," protested Tristan. "Nurse Joy said so."

Presently, they saw a big old building in the distance.

"Maybe we can escape the crowds into that building over there," suggested Tristan. "Come on!" and he raced off.

"Not so fast, Tristan!" called Hillary as she and Pikachu ran after him. "Wait for me!"

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Caves of Mount Moon)_

A few moments later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived at the old building. It resembled a large mansion, but it was run down.

"It looks dangerous," shivered Hillary. "You go first, Tristan."

"Oh, come on, Hillary," said Tristan. "What could be scary in there?"

"Almost anything," shivered Hillary.

"Why don't we hold hands?" suggested Tristan. "That way we'll stick close together."

So Tristan and Hillary held each other by the hand to keep each other safe while Pikachu held on tight to Tristan's shoulder. They all cautiously went inside. Sure enough, it was dark, but there was enough light from the sun to help navigate their way around, even though they tried very hard not to step on each other's toes.

"Ow! Tristan that's my foot!"

"Sorry, sis."

They stopped long enough to find an object on the floor.

"What's this?" asked Tristan as he cautiously picked it up.

"What have you got there?" asked Hillary.

"It appears to be a book of some kind," replied Tristan. "It has to be at least 20 years old."

"Let's open it and see what's inside," said Hillary.

But as Tristan opened the book, he and Hillary saw that there were no pages inside.

"It's empty!" gasped Hillary.

"Just like this place," added Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Maybe we can find some clues to this book," suggested Tristan. "Come on." And he and Hillary walked cautiously through the abandoned mansion.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Moon Stone)_

Tristan and Hillary found themselves on the second floor of the mansion a few moments later.

"I'm sure glad these stairs are still usable," said Hillary as she sighed with relief. "There's no telling how old or safe this mansion really is. Maybe we can...hey! Tristan, where are you going?!"

"I found something over here!" called Tristan as Hillary ran over.

"What is it?" asked Hillary.

Tristan had found an old crumpled piece of paper that resembled a book page. He slowly straightened the page out. "It looks like a journal entry from 20 years ago," he said.

"Do you know what it says?" asked Hillary.

"There are some words here," replied Tristan as he began to read. "Diary: July 5th. Guyana, South America. A new Pokémon was discovered deep in the jungle."

"What kind of Pokémon is it?" asked Hillary. "Do we even know if this Pokémon exists?"

"It's tough to say for sure," replied Tristan. "But I think if we put this journal entry back in the book, maybe we can figure out some more clues about this mysterious Pokémon." And he did just that as he and his friends continued their way through the mansion. But suddenly, the book started to glow in a white light.

"What's happening?" gasped Hillary.

"I don't know!" replied Tristan as the light started to flash and overtake them.

* * *

When the light dissipated, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found themselves in completely different surroundings.

 _(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

"Where are we, Tristan?" asked Hillary nervously.

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "But I don't think we're inside the mansion anymore."

Then he and Hillary saw that the mansion was restored to its pristine glory.

"Tristan!" gasped Hillary. "We must have been transported to another place...perhaps another time!"

"Another time?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Don't you see?" replied Hillary. "This mansion must have been full of life 20 years ago!"

"And today, it's abandoned!" added Tristan.

Suddenly, they saw two people, a man and a woman, walking into the mansion looking very despondent. They carried in a picture of a beautiful green-haired girl in a white dress.

"Who are these people?" asked Hillary. "And why are they upset?"

"I don't know," replied Tristan. "Let's watch and see what happens."

"How could this have happened?" asked the woman as she wept.

"Don't worry," replied the man as he hugged her. "There's nothing I can't do! However, if we're going to save our daughter, then we have to act fast!"

"Save her?" asked Hillary. "What does he mean by that?"

Tristan paused for a minute. Then he replied, "It sounds to me like there was some sort of an accident."

Hillary felt sad.

"There's no way we can save her," said the woman. "It's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible!" protested the man. "I'll find a way!"

Presently, the book began to glow brightly again. Instantly, the light overtook the scene of the pristine mansion, and Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found themselves back inside the old mansion in the present day.

"What was that?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "Maybe if we find more journal entries like the one you found, we can find more clues to the past, and what this mysterious Pokémon is. Maybe there's another page that tells what Pokémon they were looking for."

"But what is the Pokémon?" wondered Tristan.

Tristan's question was soon answered for just then, he found another crumpled page that looked as old as the first one. He straightened it out and read, "Diary: July 10th. We christened the newly discovered Pokémon, Mew."

"Mew?" repeated Hillary. "What's that?"

"I'm not sure, sis," replied Tristan as he put the second page in the old book.

That was when the book started to glow again, and the kids and Pikachu were overcome from the light and transported to another projection from 20 years prior. They saw what appeared to be many people in green hats and uniforms on an expedition of some sort.

"Now where did those guys come from?" asked Tristan.

"Someone or something must be projecting what happened 20 years ago into our minds!" exclaimed Hillary.

"But who'd do that?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know," replied Hillary. "But maybe this is an assignment someone wants us to complete in order to figure out the answers to these mysteries."

The people continued to walk into the ruins as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu looked on.

"Is this projection..." began Tristan.

"It has to be another clue!" replied Hillary. "Look!" She saw another page float over to her, caught it, and then straightened it.

"Look at this!" gasped Tristan in surprise as he took the paper from Hillary's hand. "It's another journal entry!" He began to read again. "August 6th. Today, my colleagues will reach the site where an ancient civilization may have created a shrine to Mew, the most powerful Pokémon to have ever existed, now believed to be extinct. Giovanni is financing the expedition."

 _(Music Cue: Victory Road (Last Road)_

Tristan and Hillary both gasped in shock. Giovanni, as they both knew, was the leader of Team Rocket.

"Why would Giovanni finance an expedition for Mew?" asked Tristan. "And what do the man and woman and, perhaps, the picture of the little girl have to do with this?"

"Let's keep reading and find out," replied Hillary.

Tristan continued reading. "He agreed to fund my research, but only if I would try to create for him an enhanced living replica of Mew. I had to agree. All he wants is to control the most powerful Pokémon the world has ever known. I, of course, want something more...much more."

The man and his team of scientists stared at an ancient portrait of Mew as a shadow of the same Pokémon flew past.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all gasped in shock as they caught a glimpse of Mew with their own eyes.

"Was that Mew?" asked Tristan.

"It sure looked like it," replied Hillary. "But that doesn't make any sense! Mew couldn't be here, could it?"

They then saw the man and his team exit the ruins with a strange green object in hand.

"That looks like some sort of eyelash!" remarked Tristan.

"Tristan, maybe we can figure out what that object that they're carrying is," suggested Hillary.

Tristan agreed and continued to read the journal entry. "Our team is bringing back what we believe to be a Mew fossil. I pray it's authentic. If so, I may finally have the DNA I need to create a Pokémon powerful enough to survive the cloning process. Perhaps, then, I can unlock the secret to restoring life itself."

"Restore life? But how?" wondered Hillary.

"Search me," replied Tristan.

The projection then changed to a laboratory with test tubes. The scientists were hard at work on a project.

"Now what are they doing?" asked Tristan.

"It must be something important," replied Hillary. "Otherwise they wouldn't have been able to start the cloning process like the journal entry said."

 _But what could those scientists be cloning from the fragment they found?_ thought Tristan.

Presently, the book glowed again, and the light overtook Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. Sure enough, they were transported back to the present day in the run-down mansion.

"There have to be more clues somewhere in this place," suggested Hillary. "Let's keep looking for them and maybe we'll find some information on what it is those scientists were trying to create."

"That's a good idea," replied Tristan as he put the journal entry into the book and raced off with Hillary and Pikachu.

* * *

They kept searching the mansion for more journal entries for the next hour, but didn't have much success.

"There must be something we're not thinking of," said Tristan. "But I don't know what is, nor do I know where we should continue looking.

Just then, Hillary found a piece of paper crumpled on the floor and picked it up. "Do you think maybe this is the next clue?" she asked.

"Anything's possible," replied Tristan as he took the paper and straightened it out. He soon discovered that there was a note on it. He read the note. "I loved our daughter as much as you did, but she's gone. No one can bring her back, and I can't go on watching you try. I'm sorry. Goodbye."

That was when Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all felt sad.

"The man and the woman must have separated from one another," said Hillary. "He must have wanted his daughter to come back, but didn't listen to his wife. Do you think that there's a reason for all this?"

Tristan said nothing.

"Earth to Tristan: Are you in there?" asked Hillary.

Tristan quickly snapped out of it and focused on Hillary. "Sorry about that," he said. "I was just thinking about whether that man succeeded in bringing back his daughter or not."

They continued to walk through the abandoned mansion until Pikachu spotted something.

"What's up, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu jumped off of Tristan's shoulder and pointed to another crumpled piece of paper.

 _(Music Cue: Messenger)_

"Maybe it's another journal entry from the past," said Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary quickly ran to the crumpled piece of paper and straightened it out.

"You're right, sis. It's another journal entry," said Tristan. "Thanks, Pikachu."

"Pikachu," replied Pikachu.

Tristan read the journal entry. "Dairy: February 6th: Mew gave birth. We named the newborn Mewtwo."

"Mewtwo?" repeated Hillary. "Do you think Mewtwo and the man's daughter have a reason for being connected?"

"I don't know, sis, but I'm pretty sure it explains why Giovanni wanted to have a powerful Pokémon at his disposal," replied Tristan. "But is that the only reason for the man trying to get his daughter back?"

Suddenly, the journal entry glowed brightly, and Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were all transported back into the past, right at the moment when a bright orange light was beginning to fade.

A female scientist looked on despondently. "Doctor, we're losing her, too," she said.

The man, who Tristan and Hillary saw earlier looked sad. "Amber," he whispered.

"Amber?" repeated Tristan. "That's his daughter's name?"

Then, they saw a purple bipedal catlike Pokémon with a pink tail in a test tube.

"That must be Mewtwo!" gasped Hillary. "The Pokémon said to be cloned from Mew!"

Presently, Tristan and Hillary began to hear the Pokémon speak, much to their shock.

"These tears...what good are they?"

"Is that Mewtwo talking?" asked Hillary.

"It must be telepathy!" gasped Tristan.

Then, they saw waves pulsating from it in the test tube as it began to get upset. "Please, Amber, come back! Don't go, please! Amber?!"

The alarm started blaring in the laboratory.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan. "Mewtwo may be in trouble! We've gotta help!"

"It's no good!" replied Hillary. "This is a projection from the past! There's nothing we can do!"

The scientist was beginning to panic. "Doctor!" she exclaimed. "Mewtwo's brainwaves are out of control!"

"It's getting too upset! It mustn't remember this! Administer the cerum! Do it immediately!" ordered the doctor.

All the scientists ran back and forth, trying to contain the situation.

"I'll try 100 units," replied the scientist as she counted by tens and administered the substance in Mewtwo's mind. Sure enough, the pulsating brainwaves stopped and the alarm stopped blaring. "It's brainwaves are going back to normal. Everything seems okay, doctor."

"Nothing is okay!" replied the doctor. "My Amber is gone forever. Only Mewtwo survives..."

The journal entry began to glow again, and as the light overtook Tristan and his friends, they found themselves back in the abandoned mansion in the present day.

"I wonder where Mewtwo is now?" said Tristan. "Do you think it's going to be friends with the scientists?"

"I'm not sure, Tristan," replied Hillary. "Maybe you should put that last entry into the book and we'll see if we can find any more of them."

Tristan put the journal entry into the book and commenced his search through the mansion.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found a crumpled piece of paper buried under some heavy rubble.

"This paper has to carry some kind of clue," said Tristan. "We have to get it out without ripping it."

"Let's work together," added Hillary.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu grunted and lifted with all their might. The piece of rubble was big and heavy, but they managed to lift it off the piece of paper, but not without falling backward in the process.

Tristan straightened out the piece of paper and began to read it. "Diary: September 1st; 20 years later. Mewtwo is far too powerful. We have failed to curb its vicious tendencies. It's no use. I can't control it!"

"Can't control it?!" exclaimed Hillary. "If the scientists couldn't control Mewtwo, what's going to happen?"

Hillary question was soon answered for the journal entry began to glow again, and they were transported to the laboratory, but this time, they saw that Mewtwo had matured significantly.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Tristan.

"I know!" replied Hillary. "Mewtwo has grown up!"

They turned their attention to the test tube where Mewtwo had just broken out, and liquids were flowing everywhere.

"Radio Giovanni's helicopter! Tell him what's happened!" shouted one scientist.

"Quiet!" whispered the doctor loudly. "Let us hear its psychic powers!"

Mewtwo looked at the doctor, confused. "Psychic...powers?"

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu gasped. They all knew it was Mewtwo talking.

"For years, we struggled to successfully clone a Pokémon to prove our theories...but you're the first specimen to survive," explained the doctor. He pointed to a portrait hanging on the wall. "That is Mew, the rarest of all Pokémon. From its DNA, we created you...Mewtwo."

"Mewtwo?" repeated the Pokémon. "Am I only a copy? Nothing but Mew's shadow?"

"You are greater than Mew, improved through the power of human ingenuity," explained the doctor. "We used the most advanced techniques to develop your awesome psychic powers."

Mewtwo looked disappointed. "So, I am simply the end result of your experiment. What becomes of me now that your experiment is over?"

"Oh, our experiment isn't over yet, it's just beginning!" smiled the doctor. "Now the serious testing begins!"

Tristan and Hillary were outraged at what the scientists said to Mewtwo.

"This is awful!" gasped Hillary.

"I know," replied Tristan. He angrily turned to the scientists. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves! How could people like you treat Mewtwo like it's nothing but an experiment to you?!"

But the scientists didn't hear him, for they were only projections. They were busily congratulating one another on the success of cloning Mewtwo.

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken)_

All of a sudden, without warning, Mewtwo began to glow in a blue light, and so did its eyes, causing all the test tubes to break and the scientists to jump back in fear.

"Mewtwo must be using a Psychic attack!" gasped Hillary.

It was clear that Mewtwo was angry for what the scientists said to it, and it began its rampage all over the territory, blasting everyone and everything, causing a massive fire to rage out of control in the laboratory. Every scientist inside screamed and ran in terror as they tried to get away from the combination of Mewtwo's outrage and the fire. Mechanical arms tried to subdue it, but it easily blasted out of them using Psychic.

"This is awful!" gasped Hillary. "How could those lousy scientists treat Mewtwo like it meant nothing to them except a rat in a cage?! This is just wrong!"

'Mewtwo, please, you have to stop!" shouted Tristan. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"Pika pika!" added Pikachu.

"It's no use, Tristan!" replied Hillary. "This is only a projection, remember? Nobody will be able to hear us, not even Mewtwo."

Tristan could only watch in horror as tears formed in his eyes. He couldn't bear to see Pokémon behaving this way. He didn't know that it was the very same fiery experience with Team Rocket that caused him to be traumatized, nor did he know that it was the same Pokémon that helped rid him of his terrible memories.

The doctor ran from the fire as fast as he could and took out a book, even as the fire closed in on him and trapped him.

Hillary knew what that book was almost immediately. "That's the same journal we found!" she gasped.

The doctor opened up the book and began writing something in it, even as the flames licked his feet. "I haven't got much time," he panted. "I pray this remnant of our experiment survives! Twenty years ago, we discovered a fossil that proved to be the remains of the ancient Pokémon, Mew. There was some genetic material to replicate Mew, but Giovanni, who funded our project, insisted we try to design super-clones more powerful than any living Pokémon. Many attempts failed, but finally, our experiments proved successful. We produced a living Pokémon. We called it Mewtwo! But for some reason, the creature's anger is out of control. With its Psychic powers, it is destroying our laboratory!"

The doctor panted as he stared at Mewtwo, who used its Psychic attack to push the flames away, and faced him one last time as it prepared to launch its most devastating Psychic attack.

"We dreamed of creating the world's strongest Pokémon," shuddered the doctor. "...and we succeeded."

Mewtwo's attack overtook the laboratory, causing it to explode. Tristan and his friends covered their eyes as the light from the explosion engulfed them.

* * *

A moment later, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu opened their eyes and found themselves back in the abandoned mansion in the present day.

"Whoa," said Hillary. "Mewtwo's attack was pretty powerful, wouldn't you say, Tristan? Tristan?"

Hillary turned to see Tristan, who was visibly shaken as tears fell onto his face. He was clearly in a state of shock. He couldn't believe that the most awful scene had happened right before his eyes.

"How sad," said Hillary, who was now beginning to worry. "This event must have traumatized him. But what can I do?"

Pikachu was concerned, too.

"Perhaps, I can help," said a gentle authoritative voice. It sounded familiar.

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (2nd part) as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity")_

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu turned to see a purple bipedal feline Pokémon with a pink tail and a tube bypassing its neck floating toward them.

"Mewtwo," whispered Tristan.

"It can't be, can it?" gasped Hillary.

Pikachu marveled in awe.

"Don't be afraid," Mewtwo assured them. "I will take you to a place where we will all get to know each other better." As it spoke, Mewtwo glowed in a bright light, and so did everyone else, and in a matter of seconds, they all disappeared!

* * *

 _Just as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu learned about Mewtwo's creation, Mewtwo itself has made an appearance, and has taken them with it. But where has it taken them to? And what new mysteries will our friends discover from meeting Mewtwo, the legendary Pokémon that was cloned from Mew? Don't miss the answers...next time!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	41. Chapter 41: THE CHAMBER OF LEGENDS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 41 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their way through Kanto. Mewtwo from the original series makes an appearance in this chapter, and the words he speaks are from the beginning dialogue of "Mewtwo Returns," but Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu listen to the story. This chapter is a little shorter than most, but there will be longer chapters. I do NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: The Legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo, takes Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu to a mysterious place called the Chamber of Legends and learn some incredible secrets.**

 **Chapter 41: THE CHAMBER OF LEGENDS**

 _(Music Cue: Cold Blood)_

 _Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu finally made it to Cinnabar Island so that Tristan could battle for his seventh badge. Upon arrival, our friends found themselves inside an abandoned mansion. They soon discovered many pieces of paper that had journal entries written on them, and one by one, the journal entries took them back 20 years in time to these events, and they learned about how Mewtwo was cloned from the legendary Pokémon, Mew. Tristan and Hillary were outraged at how the doctor treated Mewtwo as nothing more than a tool for science and could only watch helplessly as it destroyed the laboratory. This event traumatized Tristan greatly until a mysterious Pokémon appeared before him, Hillary, and Pikachu. Sure enough, it was the same Mewtwo that they saw in their visions of the past. Now it has taken them away from the abandoned mansion on Cinnabar Island. Their destination: unknown. What is the reason for Mewtwo's appearance, and why has it taken Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu away with it? And is Mewtwo a potential friend or foe?_

* * *

Tristan was the first to open his eyes as he regained consciousness. He discovered that he could breathe easily in this dimension just as he did back in the Pokémon world. There was nothing but peace and calm. He looked at his surroundings as he found himself in an ethereal dimension. "Hillary, Pikachu, wake up!" he whispered.

Hillary and Pikachu slowly opened their eyes.

"Where are we?" asked Hillary. "The last thing I remember was seeing Mewtwo appear before us, and before we knew it, there was a bright light and we disappeared from the abandoned mansion." She then saw her surroundings and saw that the air was calm. "We can breathe here, but we're in a different dimension. How is this possible?"

"I'm not sure," replied Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: The Pokémon Castle)_

Presently, Mewtwo appeared before them.

"I see that you've regained your strength," it said. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Thanks a lot," replied Tristan.

"Do you know where we are, Mewtwo?" asked Hillary.

"You are now in a place called the Chamber of Legends," explained Mewtwo.

"The Chamber of Legends?" asked Tristan.

"That's right," replied Mewtwo. "You wouldn't be able to find this place on any map. This is a special place in another dimension where a select few humans and even fewer trainers have been chosen to come here, and it can only be visited by those who have a pure heart."

"Chosen?" asked Hillary. "But how?"

"There are many reasons why you have been chosen," replied Mewtwo. "But first, I feel that I should tell you a story of why I acted so cruel in the past. Do you remember the time you spent in the abandoned mansion?"

Tristan and Hillary looked at each other and nodded their responses.

"You found an empty journal inside the mansion," explained Mewtwo. "You didn't realize that you were completing your first task for me...and that was to find the journal entries that led to my creation and put them inside the book."

Tristan realized what Mewtwo had meant and took out the reassembled book out of his backpack. "You mean this?"

"Exactly," replied Mewtwo. "Now I owe you an explanation for why all this happened." It paused for a minute. "This is my story."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu listened in astonishment as Mewtwo began his story, and as it did, it transported them and itself to a flashback of its past.

* * *

"A team of scientists working to create the world's most powerful Pokémon discovered a fossilized remnant of Mew, and from it, created...me."

Then Tristan and his friends saw the moment when Mewtwo broke out of the test tube, causing the liquid to flow everywhere, and the scientists to worry.

"Radio Giovanni's helicopter! Tell him what's happened!"

"Quiet! Let us hear its psychic powers."

The flashback changed to the moment when Mewtwo blasted everyone and everything inside the laboratory uncontrollably, causing all the scientists to scream and run in terror. Tristan watched in horror and remembered that frightful scene from the past.

Hillary, put her arm around Tristan's shoulder. "It's all right, Tristan," she said. "Mewtwo's here with us. It's just telling the story."

Tristan felt better after that.

"Soon, the Team Rocket leader, who had ordered my creation, trained me to control my abilities," continued Mewtwo as the projection showed a vision of it in a suit of armor. "But he viewed me solely as his personal property."

Tristan and Hillary saw another building in the projection.

"What's that?" asked Tristan.

"That was Team Rocket's headquarters," answered Mewtwo.

"What happened to it?" asked Hillary.

"Watch and you'll find out," replied Mewtwo as a man in an orange suit appeared before Mewtwo in the projection.

"You were created by humans to obey humans," he said.

"That's awful!" gasped Hillary. "Is that Giovanni?"

Mewtwo nodded sadly.

"I should've known that Giovanni would use you just so he can try to take over the world," said Tristan as he angrily clenched his fists. "How could he do such a thing?!" His voice was lowered down to his normal tone. "Doesn't he get that humans and Pokémon exist to cooperate with one another in peace and harmony?"

The projection continued as sparks of electricity began to sizzle around the wiring that connected to Mewtwo's armor. "I was not born a Pokémon, I was created," it said angrily. "And my creators have used and betrayed me. So, I stand alone!"

Then everyone saw Team Rocket Headquarters explode into smithereens.

"After destroying his laboratory, I created my own," continued Mewtwo as the scene changed to a mysterious castle with many windmills. "I lured Pokémon trainers to my island fortress to create a powerful breed of Pokémon and wreak vengeance on humans."

As Mewtwo spoke, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu saw many mysterious colored Pokéballs capturing Pokémon from other trainers.

"But I thought trainers could use Pokéballs to only capture wild Pokémon," said Tristan. "What are these balls?"

"These are special Pokéballs I created called Clone Balls," explained Mewtwo. "Using these balls, I seized their Pokémon and cloned them as I had been cloned from Mew. But soon, I encountered my nemesis."

Mew then appeared and confronted Mewtwo, persuading it to stop attacking.

"A great battle ensued," continued Mewtwo, "a battle to determine who would rule: the Pokémon born into this world or the cloned Pokémon created in mine."

The kids and Pikachu saw many Pokémon go up against one another without using their attacks. To them, it was much more like fighting than battling.

Mewtwo continued its story. "The clashes were brutal. And as Mew and I summoned all our strength for one final confrontation, the young trainer cried out for the fighting to cease."

Then they saw Mewtwo and Mew go up against one another using blasts of Psychic energy. Sure enough, they both shot their most powerful blasts and saw a young trainer desperately running out to the center of the stadium as he shouted, "STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

The blasts struck the trainer directly. The power of those blasts was so strong that he collapsed to the ground and turned to stone.

Tristan somehow recognized that trainer. _That boy looks...sort of familiar,_ he thought. _I remember seeing him competing in the Pokémon League on TV back home just before my journey. He was using his Charizard after he showed up late, but I thought I'd never see him again._

He looked on as Mewtwo continued his story. "His selfless actions puzzled me; he was a human who valued all Pokémon, whether born or created."

As Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu looked on, they could see the sparkling tears of both original and cloned Pokémon flying to the trainer as he was brought back from stone. A Pikachu ran to the trainer as they embraced.

"Our battling ceased," continued Mewtwo. "Finally, my eyes had been opened as had my heart."

The kids and Pikachu saw many trainers, including the one they just saw gather to see Mewtwo's cloned Pokémon leave with Mewtwo and Mew.

"The Pokémon clones and I left to find a place where we could live in peace," continued Mewtwo. "And I used my Psychic powers to wipe out the memory of our struggle."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Engima)_

After Mewtwo's story, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu found themselves back in the Chamber of Legends.

Mewtwo floated over to Tristan. "Are you all right?" it asked him.

Tristan looked up to Mewtwo and replied, "I think so. I'm glad you told us your story. It must have been an awful experience."

"But what we don't understand is what our meeting with you has to do with us," said Hillary.

Mewtwo nodded and understood what Hillary just mentioned. "Do you remember when you helped that Articuno on your way into Fuschia City?"

Tristan and Hillary nodded. "Yes, we remember," they replied.

"As you know, Team Rocket wants rare and and powerful Pokémon so they can use them to rule the entire world," explained Mewtwo. "You were willing to help that Articuno, and you wouldn't give up no matter what it took. You two split up so that one of you could get the nurse from the Pokémon Center while the other stayed behind and take care of the injuries. You were unwilling to leave it behind for fear that its injuries could get worse."

"But it did get worse," insisted Tristan.

"Yes," agreed Mewtwo, "but don't forget that you did the right thing by staying calm and keeping Articuno as comfortable as possible. A human needs to keep a cool head while thinking on his feet, especially in a tense situation."

Tristan and Hillary both understood what Mewtwo said.

"Then you bravely rescued Articuno from Team Rocket, and you were unwilling to let them take it away," continued Mewtwo. "And even though the current situation seemed hopeless for you, Articuno knew you could be a friend it can trust. So, it dove down to save you, and easily froze Tam Rocket in their tracks. And you did the same thing for Zapdos, as well."

Just then, an Articuno and Zapdos appeared before Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who recognized them immediately.

"Those are the same Pokémon we've helped before!" said Tristan. "We helped this Articuno near Fuschia City when it had that high fever. Then we helped rescue it from Team Rocket!"

"Then we rescued Zapdos from Team Rocket in Gringey City, too!" added Hillary.

"But what are they doing here?" asked Tristan.

"When you saw the rainbow-colored Pokémon flying overhead after you helped that Articuno, it flew to my location so it could tell me about how you rescued it, and eventually, Zapdos," explained Mewtwo. "So I asked another Pokémon to create a special dimension where you and the legendary Pokémon you met could gather here with this chamber as the meeting place."

"Do you know who this Pokémon is, Mewtwo?" asked Tristan.

"You'll meet this Pokémon later on your journey," answered Mewtwo.

Tristan and Hillary understood what Mewtwo had just said.

"So it must be a Pokémon that we haven't discovered yet," said Tristan.

"Right," replied Mewtwo. "However, I am going to need your help."

"What do you mean?" asked Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

"I am going to need you to meet more legendary Pokémon and be friends with them," answered Mewtwo. "Chances are that the legendary Pokémon that you've met so far might not be enough to help you in the long run whenever you need real help."

"But what about our journey in Kanto?" asked Tristan. "I still have to get back to Cinnabar Island so I can challenge the Gym Leader. I already have six badges."

Mewtwo smiled. "I know, and I'm very impressed. Other humans would say the exact same thing. But what I'm saying is that Legendary Pokémon won't always appear every day, and you'll still be able to continue your journey like you normally would. My hope is that once you meet a Legendary Pokémon, you will befriend them and help them. That should add to the number of Legendary Pokémon friends you have now. And right now, there are only three. They are Articuno, Zapdos, and me."

"But what about Mew?" asked Tristan.

"You'll meet Mew very soon," replied Mewtwo. "I can assure you."

"What happens if we do become friends with these Pokémon and add to the friends we have now?" asked Hillary.

Mewtwo thought about Hillary's question. At last it spoke. "Look at this chamber. Tell me what you know about it now."

Now, it was Tristan and Hillary's turn to think.

"Well," said Tristan. "I know it's a nice place, and it may seem like it's pretty big. But I don't think it's as big as a real chamber."

"That's because it doesn't have very many Legendary Pokémon gathering here," explained Mewtwo. "The more legends you befriend, the bigger this chamber will be. This is why I need your help. If your believe your theories on Pokémon and humans being friends are true, I will need you to help prove it with as many Pokémon as you can find, especially Legendary Pokémon. Do you understand now?"

"We understand, Mewtwo," replied Hillary.

"Good," nodded Mewtwo. "Now, these Pokémon must be found in order to increase the chances of keeping your world safe, but it's also important to lead normal lives as much as you can. So I will have you continue your journey through your world for now."

"But we don't know how to get back there," said Tristan.

"Don't worry," replied Mewtwo. "I'll take you myself." Mewtwo then glowed in a blue light, and so did Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they all teleported away from the Chamber of Legends.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

A moment later, they all found themselves back in front of the abandoned Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island.

"I never had the chance to ask your names," said Mewtwo.

"I'm Tristan," said Tristan. "Of course, you met Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" greeted Pikachu.

"And my name's Hillary," added Hillary. "I'm Tristan's younger sister. We're part of a family."

"Hmmm," said Mewtwo. "Family." It paused for a minute. "That reminds me of my own family of Pokémon clones waiting for me back in our secret location."

"What is this location?" asked Tristan.

"I cannot answer that," replied Mewtwo. "It's too much of a secret to tell. However, I hope you will come back to the Chamber of Legends with stories of your success. I know you two will succeed in the tasks ahead, and also, your journeys here in the real world."

"Thanks a lot," said Hillary.

"Just wait till Grandma and Grandpa hear about this," said Tristan.

"You will tell no one," advised Mewtwo. "This location must be kept a secret for the time being. It might be too dangerous if other people discover the secret location. However, once I get used to your presence, I will know for sure that this place can be shared with other people who are pure of heart."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu understood what Mewtwo said.

"I must go," said Mewtwo. "But don't worry. I'll be back."

And Mewtwo started levitating into the sky. It flew off of Cinnabar Island and disappeared over the horizon. Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu watched as Mewtwo flew out of sight.

* * *

 _Having visited a mysterious place called the Chamber of Legends, it's hard not to forget about the explanations Mewtwo has given our friends. What tasks await these young heroes? And what Legendary Pokémon will they meet on their travels? The journey continues!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	42. Chapter 42: RIDDLES AND ANSWERS

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 42 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. It's a little shorter than most, but there will be more longer chapters as this story progresses. Blaine from the anime makes his appearance beginning in this chapter. He asks the same riddles in the episode, "Riddle Me This," but Tristan and Hillary get asked by the man. But don't take my word for it; just feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is ready to find and challenge the Cinnabar Island Gym, but he and Hillary have to solve a few riddles first!**

 **Chapter 42: RIDDLES AND ANSWERS**

 _(Music Cue: Opening and Title Screen (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon")_

 _After their latest adventure in the Pokémon Mansion, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are ready for the next challenge: the Cinnabar Island Gym, so Tristan can try to win his seventh Gym badge. But little do they know they are about to be quizzed by someone._

"This is going to be a hot match!" said Tristan excitedly. "I can't wait!"

"I think you'd better cool down before you crash and burn," replied Hillary.

"How can I cool down when I can't help it?" shouted Tristan. "I can't stand waiting!"

Pikachu agreed with Tristan, but Hillary wasn't sure.

"I think the girl's got a very good piece of advice," said a soft and deep voice.

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see a man dressed in a wig, sunglasses, and a fake mustache.

"Who are you?" asked Hillary.

"I'm just a friend who's ready to give you advice," replied the man. "If you have too much excitement, you may just hurt yourself, and crash and burn in the process. I have a riddle for you."

Tristan and Hillary looked at the man with puzzled looks on their faces.

"As you know, tourists have invaded the island for far too long," explained the man. "That brings me to my riddle: Blaine's Gym is where you put your glasses."

"We have glasses, right?" said Tristan.

"Yes, and they're in front of our eyes...and so is the Gym!" added Hillary.

"That's right!" replied the man as he pointed them toward the Gym, but it looked abandoned.

"It's a wreck!" gasped Hillary.

"That was the Gym?!" exclaimed Tristan. "Where are we supposed to find the real Gym? And how are we supposed to find the Gym Leader?"

"Now here's the next riddle," continued the man. "What do tourists think is hot and cool?"

Tristan and Hillary were confused at first, but Hillary came up with an answer almost immediately. "Is it a hot spring?"

"That is correct again!" replied the man. "You were quick in giving me a correct response."

Tristan was amazed at Hillary's ability to solve complex riddles in a matter of seconds. "How'd you do that, sis?"

"The hot springs are popping up because of the volcano," explained the man. "And because of that, tourists are flocking to this island like they're fleeing from Old Man Winter's wrath."

"Do you happen to know where Blaine is?" asked Hillary.

"I'm sorry, but I don't," replied the man. "However, I have something for you." He handed Tristan a business card.

Tristan took his eyes off the man and saw the card. "The Big Riddle Inn?" But when he took his eyes off the card, the man was gone.

"Where'd he go?" asked Hillary.

"Beats me," replied Tristan.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu noticed that the sun was starting to set.

"We'd better find a place to spend the night," advised Hillary.

"Good idea," replied Tristan.

His stomach grumbled at that moment. "Man, I'm so hungry."

"So am I," added Hillary. "What I wouldn't give for a cheeseburger."

"Let's try the Pokémon Center," suggested Tristan as he and Hillary continued to walk on the streets of Cinnabar Island.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Goofball Alert as heard in "The Fortune Hunters")_

However, once they reached the Pokémon Center, they were doomed to disappointment.

"I'm very sorry," said Nurse Joy. "All of the rooms have been taken. It's the busy season here on Cinnabar Island. A Trainer named Blue just took the last room."

"Blue?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Why didn't we get here sooner?" groaned Hillary.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed a voice. Tristan turned around to see a spiky haired kid behind him. Sure enough, it was Blue.

"What are you doing here, mocking me?!" accused Tristan.

"Nope," answered Blue. "I'm just spending time on Cinnabar Island tonight and leaving tomorrow morning. Besides, I'm taking a break from training, anyway." And he smugly turned around and walked down the hallway to the bedroom.

"Hey, that's not fair!" complained Hillary. "These bedrooms have four beds, and he's not sharing?!"

"Come on, sis, let's find somewhere else to sleep," suggested Tristan. "We don't need Blue weighing us down."

Pikachu replied in agreement.

* * *

So they left the Pokémon Center to try and find a hotel to stay at for the night, but every time, they were turned down because there were no vacancies.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were very dispondent and very hungry as night fell.

"No food, no room, no place to sleep, and even no Gym Leader," grumbled Tristan. "Maybe the man was right. This is a tourist trap." He took out the business card the man gave him out of his pocket.

"Tristan, what's that?" asked Hillary as she pointed to the card.

"Oh, this? Just the business card that the man gave me," replied Tristan.

"May I see it?" asked Hillary.

Tristan nodded and handed the card to her

Hillary took a closer look at the card and saw the words "The Big Riddle Inn" with a question mark on it. There was also a picture of a building with a clock on it.

"Of course!" cried Hillary. "The Big Riddle Inn! Why didn't we think of it before?"

"What do you mean, sis?" wondered Tristan.

"Don't you see, Tristan? That's where we'll stay tonight!" replied Hillary.

"But how do we get there?" asked Tristan.

"Maybe this riddle will give us a clue," replied Hillary as she flipped the card over. Sure enough, there was a riddle written on the card that Tristan obtained. She read it aloud: "If you look near the swing, you'll see my hands, or at least my face."

Tristan looked around and saw a swing set with a swing on it. "There's the swing," he said. "But I don't see anyone's hands or face...besides ours."

"Hands and face...that's it!" cried Hillary.

"What's it?" wondered Tristan.

"Clock hands on a clock face!" replied Hillary. "The answer is a clock! The swing is over there, and the riddle stated that if we looked near the swing we'd see someone's hands, or at least their face." The clock is on that building, and that must be the Big Riddle Inn!" She pointed to the clock on the building, and sure enough, the Big Riddle Inn was in plain sight: hands, face, and all.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" said Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu raced toward the Big Riddle Inn.

* * *

"I see you two have discovered the answer to my riddle," said the man as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu entered the lobby. "Congratulations."

"I think Hillary was the one who thought of the answer," replied Tristan.

"Aw, shucks, Tristan," said Hillary.

"As a reward for figuring out the correct answer, I'll give you free rooms...and food...here at the Big Riddle Inn," said the man.

Just as the man said the word 'food,' Tristan and Hillary's stomachs growled loudly.

"Yup. I should've known," smiled the man. "You two want food."

"Yes, sir," replied Tristan and Hillary sheepishly.

* * *

Some time later, after dinner, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu relaxed in their dining chairs feeling full from all the delicious food they ate.

"I can't eat another bite," said Hillary.

"I'm so full I think I might do what Snorlax does, and that means catching some Z's," added Tristan.

"I'll show you to your bedrooms," said the man. "I'll give you two more riddles tomorrow. And if you solve them, I'll take you to see Blaine, the Gym Leader."

"I can't wait," yawned Tristan as he struggled to stay awake. He, Hillary, and Pikachu followed the man to the guest bedrooms and tucked themselves in for the night.

"I'll be waiting for you after you get a good night's rest," said the man. "Pleasant dreams." And he quietly closed the door.

"So, you'll get a chance to see Blaine tomorrow, Tristan," said Hillary. "Are you nervous? Tristan?"

Hillary turned around to see Tristan had already fallen asleep.

"No wonder you're exhausted," whispered Hillary. "Eating a heavy meal will definitely do that. But then again, so can lots of walking. And we did that all day." She yawned and fell fast asleep. Pikachu had gone to sleep right after Tristan did.

* * *

The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were up early. They got dressed and got ready to meet the man.

As promised, the man was patiently waiting for them. "Good morning, youngsters," he said. "I see that you two slept well."

"We did. Thank you," replied Tristan.

"You've been very nice to us," added Hillary. "So now, I think it's time for us to be nice in turn and listen for your next riddle."

"That's the spirit," said the man. "Blaine built a Gym that tourists never see. It's in a place where a firefighter could never win."

"Any ideas, sis?" asked Tristan.

"Let me think..." replied Hillary.

"I'll let you two figure it out," said the man. And he left Tristan and Hillary alone to think on the riddle.

 _Hmm...It's in a place where a firefighter could never win,_ thought Tristan. "I've seen firefighters in action fighting fires at the Vermilion Gym and on that ship below Cycling Road. I don't know if they won," he said aloud.

"I don't think that would be the correct answer, though, Tristan," smiled Hillary. "Most of the time, firefighters could win battles against raging fires at buildings or on ships. "Remember when your Blastoise was still just a little Squirtle, and it fought the fire at the Vermilion Gym with you by its side?"

"Yes, of course," replied Tristan. "After we fought the fire, Officer Jenny's Squirtle Squad took over fighting it for us."

"And then on the ship below Cycling Road, after your Squirtle evolved, Wartortle fought another fire," added Hillary.

"Maybe we can think of the answer in the hot springs," suggested Tristan.

"Good idea," replied Hillary.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu had arrived at the hot springs some time later.

"This might be a good way to get our brains in gear and solve that riddle," said Tristan.

"I'm in the mood for a refreshing dip," agreed Hillary.

Just then, Pikachu ran toward a Gyarados statue, just above the boiling water, and jumped on top of it. It kept jumping and jumping.

"Pikachu, get away from there!" warned Tristan. "The water's boiling! You might get burned if you're not careful!"

But Pikachu didn't fall into the hot springs. Instead, the force of Pikachu's jumping caused the Gyarados statue to go lower, causing a rock in the wall to move away. In doing so, a passageway opened, much to Tristan and Hillary's surprise.

"What's this?" gasped Tristan.

"Let's check it out," replied Hillary as she and the others went inside.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were deep inside the newly discovered passageway. There were lots of stairs inside. Candles were burning brightly, and it got hotter as they got deeper and further down.

"Is it just me, or is it getting hot down here?" asked Tristan.

"I don't think it's just you, Tris," complained Hillary. "It's definitely getting hot."

"Brutal," put in Tristan.

"Blistering," finished Hillary.

Presently, they came to a double door.

"Wonder where this leads to," said Tristan. He carefully touched the door handle, but quickly took his hand off it as it was hot to the touch. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" He quickly blew on his fingers to try to cool them off.

Just then, the doors opened, and Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were in for a scorching surprise. They saw a big thick cloud of steam over a huge battlefield. Then, they saw a pool of lava under it.

"This must be...Blaine's Gym," said Tristan.

"No firefighter could win here," added Hillary. "This must be part of...a volcano!"

"That's right, my young friends," said a soft and deep voice.

Tristan and Hillary looked up, and were very surprised to see the man with the sunglasses, wig, and mustache on the other side of the battlefield.

"Hey, how'd you get here before we did?" asked Tristan.

"I guess you were slow turtles," replied the man. "But it's obvious that you two correctly solved this riddle, too. Now here's the last one. It's not a hat, but it keeps your head dry. If you wear it, it's only because you already lost it. If you guess this one correctly, I'll go and get Blaine to battle you in a Gym match."

"I now what it is! It's a wig!" said Hillary.

"And Hillary, the riddle mistress has done it again!" smiled the man.

"How'd you guess, sis?" asked Tristan.

"A wig isn't a hat, but it keeps your head dry in the rain," explained Hillary. "And the only reason you wear a wig is if you already lost your hair."

"I sure hope I don't lose mine here," said Tristan.

"Since you got all my riddles correct, I'll go and get Blaine for you right away," smiled the man.

He started to turn away when Tristan shouted, "Wait a second!"

"What's the problem?" asked the man.

"I thought you were supposed to be running the Big Riddle Inn, but I see that you're here, and Blaine is not!" explained Tristan. "And you seem to be very comfortable with the heat down here."

The man nodded.

"If Blaine's not down here, but you are, then, ergo, you must be Blaine, the Gym Leader!" shouted Tristan as he directly pointed to the man.

The man smiled, and then took of his disguise. Sure enough, it was Blaine, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader. He had a partially bald head and gray hair on the back of his head. "You are correct!" he said in a much higher-toned voice.

"It IS Blaine!" gasped Hillary.

"You two solved my riddles, and correctly guessed my true identity," smiled Blaine. "Now, who's ready to have a battle against me? We'll battle three on three!"

"I accept your challenge, Blaine, so let's do this!" replied Tristan eagerly.

"Good," smiled Blaine. "Before we start, I'd like to explain the rules of this match. As you know, this battle will be three on three. The battle will end when all three of one Trainer's Pokémon are defeated. When both of us are down to their last Pokémon, we'll battle in a different location."

"Different location?" asked Tristan. "What do you mean?"

"This is one of my two battlefields that the challengers and I use for our Gym battles," explained Blaine. "This will be our warm-up field. Then, in our final battle, we'll battle on top of a volcanic crater overlooking Cinnabar Island."

"You mean you and Tristan are going to be battling on top of the volcano?" gasped Hillary.

"That is correct," replied Blaine. He turned back to Tristan. "So, kid, are you ready to get started?"

"Yes, let's do it!" replied Tristan.

"I like your fiery attitude, young man," smiled Blaine as he took out his first Pokéball and threw it. "Ninetales, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part)_

A quadruped fox-like Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had nine orange-tipped tails and had thick, luxurious golden-white fur.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Ninetales: The Fox Pokémon: The evolved form of Vulpix,"_ identified Dexter. " _It has nine tails and a shiny, golden fleece. Ninetales are said to live very long lives."_

Hillary took a good look at Ninetales's nine tails. "I can see why Ninetales got its name," she said. "Be very careful, Tristan. Blaine's Ninetales is going to be tough to beat."

"I know who I'm going to choose," said Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Lapras, I choose you!"

Lapras materialized from the white light that shot out of Tristan's Pokéball. It wasn't used to the intense heat of the volcano, but it knew that Tristan needed its help.

"Don't let the volcano intimidate you, Lapras!" encouraged Tristan. "You have the heart of a Water Pokémon, and I know you can do it!"

Lapras wailed in eager agreement.

"So, you've chosen a Water-type," said Blaine. "Lapras may have Water-type characteristics, but it has Ice-type traits, too. So, if you're wanting to avoid a quick knockout, I'd suggest you think strategically."

"You can count on that, Blaine!" smiled Tristan.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan begins his Gym battle against Blaine, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader, with his seventh Gym Badge at stake. Will Tristan find a way to keep his cool in the heat of battle? Or will he crash and burn right from the start? Don't miss this white hot match...next time!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	43. Chapter 43: A FIERY SPIRIT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 43 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Blaine from the anime makes an appearance in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan finally faces off against Blaine, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader, and it's a hot match right from the start! Will Tristan be able to keep his cool in the heat of battle, or will Blaine's Pokémon make him crash and burn?**

 **Chapter 43: A FIERY SPIRIT**

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part)_

 _Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu met a man, who gave them riddle after riddle. During the evening, our friends found out that there were no vacancies at the Cinnabar Island Pokémon Center, or anywhere else, for that matter. They soon solved the man's riddles, one after another, and ended up getting a good night's rest at his hotel, the Big Riddle Inn. The next morning, they commenced their search for the Cinnabar Island Gym, which turned out to be underneath the hotel. They found the Gym suspended a pool of lava. After solving more riddles and correctly guessing the man's identity, he took off his disguise and revealed himself as Blaine, the riddle-loving Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island. He sent out his Ninetales to face off against Tristan's Lapras. Will Tristan emerge victorious and earn his seventh Gym badge? One thing's for sure: this hot battle has barely begun!_

* * *

"Go, Ninetales, Flamethrower now!" commanded Blaine.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Ninetales fired a hot stream of fire from its mouth at Lapras.

"Lapras, Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras fired a powerful stream of water from its mouth to counter the fire. Sure enough, the collision of the two attacks created a thick cloud of steam.

"Keep pushing, Ninetales! Don't let Lapras put you out!" encouraged Blaine.

Ninetales's Flamethrower pushed back against Lapras's Water Gun.

"Quick, Lapras, get out of the way!" commanded Tristan.

Lapras moved to its side to avoid Ninetales's Flamethrower.

"Choosing a Pokémon is more than selecting the right type," advised Blaine. "It takes wisdom to win a Gym Battle. That's what I've told every challenger."

 _He's right,_ thought Tristan. _Just using_ _Lapras's Water attacks won't be enough. I have to think of a way to douse Blaine's Fire Pokémon._ "All right Lapras, Ice Beam!" ordered Tristan.

"Why use that?" asked Hillary.

Lapras fired an icy cold beam from its mouth.

"Ninetales, Flamethrower!" commanded Blaine.

Ninetales fired another hot stream of fire from its mouth to counter Lapras's Ice Beam, but that not only created another layer of steam, but it pushed Ice Beam back, giving Lapras some damage.

"Hang on, Lapras!" encouraged Tristan.

"You see, kid," said Blaine, "when it's fire against ice, fire always wins."

 _Now what?_ thought Tristan. _Lapras's Ice Beam isn't working either._

"Ninetales, Confuse Ray!" commanded Blaine.

Ninetales's eyes glowed bright red, and Lapras looked directly into them, confusing it on the spot.

"Lapras!" cried Tristan.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "Ninetales's Confuse Ray confused Lapras, and now, Lapras can't seem to hear Tristan's voice at all.

"Lapras! Snap out of it!" cried Tristan.

"No use, boy!" said Blaine. "Ninetales, Quick Attack!"

Ninetales sped toward Lapras with a white line trailing behind it and successfully rammed into it, but Lapras was much bigger than Ninetales, so its weight advantage pushed it back.

"Urgh! Lapras's weight absorbed my attack!" grunted Blaine.

"That was a close one," said Hillary.

"Ninetales, Fire Spin now!" shouted Blaine.

Ninetales shot a fiery vortex of fire from its mouth and struck Lapras, trapping it in the vortex.

"Lapras!" cried Tristan.

"Big trouble!" grunted Hillary. "Lapras is trapped in Ninetales's attack! If Tristan doesn't do something and fast, it's all over!"

Lapras struggled against the combined might of Ninetales's Confuse Ray and Fire Spin, but once it realized that it was trapped and taking damage, it snapped out of its confusion.

"Way to go, Lapras!" commended Tristan. "Now use your Water Gun to jump as high as you can out of that vortex and give Ninetales a Body Slam!"

"Can Lapras even lift itself off the ground like that?" asked Hillary.

To everyone's surprise, it did, for thanks to the incredible force of Water Gun, Lapras was able to jump high over the field and out of the fiery vortex. Then, using all that it had, it used its full body weight to fall onto Ninetales hard.

"Ninetales!" gasped Blaine.

Lapras got off of Ninetales, and sure enough, thanks to Lapras's weight and the speed of the fall, Ninetales was knocked out.

"Ninetales, return!" said Blaine as he aimed the Pokéball's center button at Ninetales.

A red beam of red energy shot out, transforming Ninetales into red energy and it shot back inside.

"That was impressive," commended Blaine. "Using a Water Gun to jump high over Fire Spin and dealing a knockout over Ninetales at the same time using Body Slam was something I never expected. Well done."

"Thanks, Blaine," replied Tristan. "But we're just getting warmed up."

"I like your spirit, kid," said Blaine. "But now, it's time to move on. Go, Rhydon!" He threw his second Pokéball.

A large gray bipedal Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It resembled both a dinosaur and a rhinoceros. It had a large cream-colored drill-like horn on its snout.

"What's that?" asked Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Rhydon: The Drill Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its large horn gives it formidable attack power. Its armor-like hide repels molten lava."_

 _Why did he choose a Rock Pokémon?_ thought Tristan. _He must know that Rock Pokémon are weak against Water attacks, and it can take hear like other Rock Pokémon...unless Lapras's Ice-type characteristics give Rhydon the edge!_ "Lapras, you've gotta be careful!" warned Tristan aloud. "Rhydon's pretty powerful! Don't let your guard down!"

Lapras nodded in reply.

"Go, Rhydon, Horn Drill!" commanded Blaine.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

Rhydon's big horn spun like a drill as it headed straight toward Lapras.

"I don't like where this is going!" said Hillary.

"Lapras, use your Ice Beam attack fast!" shouted Tristan.

Lapras shot an ice-cold beam of energy from its mouth at Rhydon, scoring a direct hit and freezing it solid. However, thanks to the intense heat of the volcano, Rhydon thawed out instantly.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"Rhydon, Rock Slide!" commanded Blaine.

Rhydon jumped high off the ground, despite its weight.

"I never knew Rhydon could jump!" gasped Hillary.

Rhydon's used its big feet to kick the rocky walls of the Gym, causing huge boulders to slide down directly toward Lapras. Lapras dodged a few of the boulders, leaving it at a standstill.

"Finish it off with Horn Drill!" shouted Blaine.

Rhydon's large horn spun hard and fast as it charged toward Lapras, and when it was distracted, it was struck hard by Rhydon's spinning horn.

"Lapras, no!" cried Tristan.

Lapras collapsed to the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes; it had been knocked out.

"Looks like it's the end of the line for your Lapras," said Blaine.

"I was afraid this would happen," said Hillary sadly. "That Horn Drill attack scored a one-hit knockout. Rhydon used Rock Slide to distract Lapras long enough for it to strike it down."

"Lapras, return!" called Tristan as a red energy beam shot out from Lapras's Pokéball, transforming it into red energy and disappeared into it. He held his Pokéball close to him. "You did your very best, Lapras, and for that, I'm proud of you. You deserve a nice rest."

"Well, what next, kid?" asked Blaine. "You no longer have Lapras to help you. What will you use as your second Pokémon?"

Tristan took out his second Pokéball and threw it. "Blastoise, I choose you!"

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball, and readied itself for battle.

"Ah, a Blastoise," said Blaine. "Another powerhouse. You must be a good trainer. But let's see how good your Blastoise really is."

Blastoise and Rhydon eyed each other warily as they waited for instructions from their Trainers.

"Blastoise has a huge advantage when it comes to type," said Hillary. "But when it comes to this battlefield, I'd have to give the edge to Rhydon."

"Let's continue," said Blaine. "Go, Rhydon, Take Down now!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle version 2)_

Rhydon charged toward Blastoise with a full-body style attack.

"Blastoise, push it back with Hydro Pump attack!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise's cannons came out of its shell, and two powerful blasts of water emerged from them. The blasts successfully scored a hit on Rhydon, pushing it back.

"Don't give in, Rhydon!" encouraged Blaine. "Use your Horn Drill to block the Hydro Pump blasts!"

Rhydon spun its drill at high speed, and sure enough, Hydro Pump was successfully blocked.

 _That Rhydon's pretty tough,_ thought Tristan. _Despite the advantage, Blaine and Rhydon seem unfazed by whatever attack I throw their way. I'll just have to improvise a little bit._

"Well, Tristan," said Blaine, "your Blastoise has been raised well, but you should know you can't defeat me using type advantage alone. You'll have to find some other way of taking my Rhydon down. Because if you can't find a way to beat my Rhydon in this volcano, you may as well forget about earning a badge here."

"No way, Blaine," replied Tristan. "Blastoise isn't a quitter and neither am I."

"Then suit yourself," said Blaine. "Maybe by the time this battle's over, you will have learned that it takes more than type to win a battle. Knock it out of the match with Horn Drill, Rhydon!"

Rhydon charged toward Blastoise with its high-speed spinning horn as the driving force.

"Blastoise, Withdraw!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise's head and limbs disappeared into its shell.

Rhydon tried to score a knockout blow on Blastoise with its Horn Drill, but the hard shell prevented it from doing any damage,

"Very clever," commended Blaine. "Using Blastoise's hard shell nullifies the damage Horn Drill would have done to it."

"Blastoise, use your Ice Beam on the battlefield!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise's head and limbs emerged from the hard shell and an icy cold beam of energy was fired from its mouth. The Ice Beam attack struck the battlefield all around Rhydon, leaving it with nowhere to go.

"Perfect!" said Hillary. "With all that ice surrounding Rhydon, it has no place left to go! One misstep could mean a huge downfall!"

"Okay, Blastoise, use your Hydro Pump attack on it!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise shot two more powerful blasts of water from its cannons, pushing Rhydon back with a lot of force. Rhydon slipped and fell on the ground thanks to the ice, but it was far from over.

"Go, Rhydon, Fury Attack!" commanded Blaine.

Rhydon charged toward Blastoise again with its horn as the driving force.

"Dodge it, Blastoise!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise swerved from side to side as Rhydon's Fury Attack tried to connect with it. Again and again, it attacked, but it didn't land a single hit.

"All right, it's time to go head to head!" said Blaine. "Rhydon, Take Down!"

Rhydon did a full-body charge at Blastoise.

"Blastoise, Skull Bash attack!" shouted Tristan.

Blastoise lowered its head, which glowed in a silver aura. Then using all it had, it charged at Rhydon. Both Pokémon collided with one another, trying to push the other back. But the force of the attacks created a huge explosion of power, knocking back both Pokémon.

When the dust cleared, Rhydon and Blastoise had both collapsed on the ground. They both had dazed expressions in their eyes; they had both fainted from the force of the explosion of the two attacks.

"Blastoise!" gasped Tristan.

"Rhydon!" gasped Blaine.

"No way!" said Hillary. "It was a double knockout!"

Tristan and Blaine returned Blastoise and Rhydon back to their Pokéballs.

"Blastoise, you were great," said Tristan as he held its Pokéball close to him. "Take a long rest."

"I'm very proud of you, Rhydon," said Blaine as he held its Pokéball close to him. "You fought very hard."

"Now what happens?" asked Hillary.

"Well, as promised," said Blaine. "I'd like to take the last round of our Gym match to the top of Cinnabar Island's volcano. Are you ready?"

"I am, Blaine," replied Tristan.

"Good, then follow me," said Blaine as he led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu out of the Gym and out of the Big Riddle Inn.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were relieved when they got outside.

"At last," said Hillary. "It's much cooler out here than it is inside the Gym."

"No wonder why Blaine likes it hot," added Tristan. "He does a great job of raising his Fire Pokémon."

"As you may have known," said Blaine, "this last battle will take place over the lava pit of Cinnabar Island's volcano. Any part of the volcano is fair game, including the pillars. You can battle under it and over it. Do you understand?"

"I do, Blaine," replied Tristan. "But why did you decide to battle over the volcano in the first place?"

"I discovered a Magmar in the volcano a long time ago," answered Blaine. "It lived in that volcano for a long time, and I'd visit it very frequently. It liked me so much, that it wanted me to be its Trainer. Plus, it was very strong. Since then, it's been a special place in my heart, and I've always liked battling up there. And Magmar and I have been good friends for a long time."

"That's a great story, Blaine," said Tristan. "I can hardly wait to battle your Magmar."

* * *

Pretty soon, they made it to the top of the volcano.

"Well, Tristan, I hope your last choice is a good one because I'm all fired up," said Blaine.

"And so am I, Blaine," replied Tristan as he took out his third Pokéball. "Charmeleon, I choose you!"

Charmeleon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked as fired up as Tristan was.

"I'm counting on you, Charmeleon," said Tristan. "This is going to be a tough match. Let's win this battle together."

Charmeleon's flame on its tail grew more intense. It liked having tough battles. It was just the thing to boost its confidence.

"So, you've got a strong Charmeleon," said Blaine. "But let's see if you have what it takes to win. I choose Magmar!" He threw his Pokéball.

A red bipedal Pokémon with yellow flame designs materialized from the white light that shot out of it. Two lumps on the top of its head had yellow flames on them, plus it had a flame on its tail. It also had a puckered yellow beak.

"That must be Magmar," said Tristan as he scanned Magmar with his Pokédex.

 _"Magmar: The Spitfire Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its body is like a furnace, making Magmar a living inferno. It has been discovered only near active volcanoes."_

"Be ready for anything, Charmeleon," advised Tristan. "There's no telling how strong Magmar really is."

Charmeleon nodded in reply.

"Let's go all out right from the start!" said Blaine. "Magmar, use your Flamethrower!"

"Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower attack, too!" commanded Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle)_

Charmeleon and Magmar each fired a hot stream of fire from their mouths at one another. The two attacks collided with explosive results.

"It looks like a stalemate," remarked Hillary.

"Okay, Magmar, we're going to try something different," said Blaine. "Give it a Fire Blast!"

"Fire Blast? What's that?" asked Tristan.

"Just watch," replied Blaine.

Magmar focused its power, then shot a fiery attack that looked like a star at Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon, use the pillars to dodge it!" instructed Tristan.

Charmeleon jumped from one of the pillars over the Fire Blast attack and perfectly landed on another.

"Quick, Magmar, let's try another one!" commanded Blaine.

Once again, Magmar shot another fiery star at Charmeleon.

"Jump onto the pillars, Charmeleon!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon jumped from pillar to pillar. Its speed proved to be a match even for Magmar's Fire Blast attack.

"Those Fire Blasts looked very powerful," grunted Tristan.

"That's because it's the most powerful attack a Fire Pokémon has," replied Blaine. "If your Charmeleon knew the attack, we'd be an even match. But it doesn't look like you've learned it yet."

"Don't be so sure, Blaine," said Tristan. "This battle's just getting started. Charmeleon, give Magmar a taste of your Slash attack!"

Charmeleon jumped from pillar to pillar and headed straight towards Magmar with its sharp claws as the driving force.

"Magmar, Skull Bash attack!" ordered Blaine.

Magmar lowered its head and charged toward Charmeleon with a silver aura on it. Charmeleon did its best to connect with Magmar, but Magmar's Skull Bash overpowered it, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Charmeleon, no!" cried Tristan.

"Magmar, Fire Punch now!" commanded Blaine.

Fire formed in Magmar's right fist as it prepared to strike Charmeleon.

"Dodge it now, Charmeleon!" ordered Tristan.

Charmeleon rolled with Magmar's fiery punch as it swerved from side to side, narrowly dodging it.

"Now hold it down!" instructed Blaine.

Using its other hand, Magmar held Charmeleon down on one of the pillars, giving it no chance of escape.

"Oh, no!" cried Tristan.

"Now let 'em have it!" shouted Blaine.

With Charmeleon immobilized, Magmar executed one Fire Punch after another on it.

"This is bad!" gasped Hillary. "If Charmeleon doesn't break free from Magmar soon, Tristan's going to lose this match!"

Magmar continued to strike one fiery hit after another on a defenseless Charmeleon.

"It's time to end this, Magmar," said Blaine. "Grab it and throw it into the lava!"

Using both hands, Magmar grabbed Charmeleon and dove down toward the hot lava.

"Charmeleon, hang on!" shouted Tristan. "I know you can do it!"

There was a mighty splash of lava as Magmar and Charmeleon both became submerged in it. At first there were bubbles coming from the lava, but then, they soon disappeared.

"Charmeleon," whispered Tristan. "Please don't give up. Stay strong." Then he broke into a loud encouraging cry toward the sky. "Now come on, and show me that fiery spirit!"

All of a sudden, the lava started to glow in an explosive white light. Everyone gasped in shock and wonder.

"Whoa, what's going on?" asked Hillary.

A powerful stream of lava emerged from the volcano, and with it, Magmar and Charmeleon in a glowing white light, and they seemed to rise higher and higher into the sky.

"Tristan, look up there!" exclaimed Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 2)_

Sure enough, there was Charmeleon, the source of the glowing white light, and as it and Magmar gained altitude, Charmeleon got bigger and bigger, and a pair of wings started to grow into it. When Charmeleon emerged from the white light, it looked like a big orange bipedal Pokémon with small blue eyes, a long neck, raised nostrils and two horn-like structures on the back of its rectangular head.

"Charmeleon just evolved!" said Hillary. She was very excited.

"Let's see what it is!" said Tristan as he scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Charizard: The Flame Pokémon: The evolved form of Charmeleon,"_ identified Dexter. _"Charizard can exhale powerful blasts of fire that are hot enough to melt boulders."_

"So it's a Charizard now!" said Tristan. "That's awesome! All right, Charizard, let's show Magmar what you can do!"

Charizard roared in reply and thrust Magmar down toward one of the pillars. Magmar suffered a hard hit, but it didn't give up so easily. Charizard landed on another pillar and readied itself for battle against Magmar.

"Your Charizard is good, kid," remarked Blaine. "However, Magmar isn't finished yet. Magmar, Flamethrower!"

Magmar shot another hot stream of fire at Charizard. This one seemed to be much more powerful than its first one.

"Careful, Tristan!" warned Hillary. "That Flamethrower is stronger now!"

"And so is ours," replied Tristan. "One good Flamethrower deserves another, right, Charizard!?"

Charizard nodded and fired another hot stream of fire to counter Magmar's Flamethrower. Sure enough, the two attacks collided again, creating a bigger explosion.

"That lava must have given both Pokémon a major boost in firepower," said Hillary.

"Don't think you've won yet," said Blaine. "Magmar, give Charizard your best Fire Blast attack! Finish it!"

Magmar shot its most powerful Fire Blast attack from its beak at Charizard.

"Don't give up, Charizard!" encouraged Tristan. "Toss that Fire Blast into the sky!"

Using its newfound strength, Charizard grabbed Magmar's Fire Blast attack in its claws and tossed it up into the sky. The attack had disappeared into thin air, much to Blaine's shock.

"Now, Charizard, grab onto Magmar and finish it off with a Seismic Toss!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard roared and grabbed onto Magmar, carrying it into the air. Then using all the strength it had, it spun around and around, faster and faster, until at last, it thrust Magmar down toward the pillars, sending it into a crash landing, which created a big cloud of dust.

"Magmar!" cried Blaine.

When the dust cleared, Magmar appeared to be standing for a few seconds, but thanks to the damage it took from Charizard's attacks, it collapsed and fainted on the pillar it crashed into.

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

"Way to go!" cried Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu and Hillary cheered for Tristan's latest victory.

Blaine returned Magmar to its Pokéball as he proudly looked on. _Now that was a hot match I won't forget for a long time,_ he thought.

* * *

Later, everyone stood outside the Big Riddle Inn with Tristan's newly evolved Charizard.

"Congratulations, Tristan," said Blaine. "You and your Pokémon showed outstanding teamwork in our Gym Battle today. Your Charizard was certainly very impressive. Using the power of the lava to boost your attacks, just like I did, plus the power of flight really made the difference. Those were great strategies. It reminds me of another trainer I battled about a year ago. If you show as much teamwork as you did here today, you can never go wrong in any battle no matter how big or small."

"Thanks, Blaine," replied Tristan. "I couldn't have done it without all my friends helping me out today. This victory is for them, also."

"Now, that's what I like: an honest trainer," smiled Blaine. "Now I have one last riddle for you: What is it that's always red, but has no words?"

"Is it a badge?" asked Tristan hopefully.

"Not just ANY badge," replied Blaine, "but a Volcano Badge! And this one is yours."

Tristan smiled and accepted the badge. "Thank you, Blaine," he replied. He then raised it into the air and proudly proclaimed. "I got the Volcano Badge! Number seven!"

"Pi-pikachu!" added Pikachu.

Charizard's roar added to the cries of victory. Then, just to show its affection to its happy trainer, it decided to give him a gigantic hug.

"I know you're happy about our win, too, Charizard, but you're squishing me!" strained Tristan.

Everyone laughed.

Charizard gently put Tristan back down on the ground. Then, it bent lower to the ground itself.

"What's up, Charizard?" asked Tristan.

"I think I know what it wants," replied Blaine. "Your Charizard wants you to check out the view of Cinnabar Island from the air. After all, you helped it grow wonderfully."

Tristan was confused. "Is Blaine right, Charizard?" he asked.

Charizard nodded.

"I may not have trained a Charizard of my own yet, but be sure to seat yourself between Charizard's neck and shoulders," advised Blaine. "That's where both Trainers and Pokémon will be most comfortable. That's a tip I learned from a friend of mine in Johto."

"All right, then. Are you ready for this, Charizard?" said Tristan.

Charizard nodded as Tristan carefully got on.

"I want to come with you!" said Hillary, not wanting to be left behind. She got on in front of Tristan.

"All right, then, just hang on tight," replied Tristan.

Pikachu wanted to get on, too, so it got on Tristan's shoulder.

"You can come, too, Pikachu," said Tristan. He turned to Charizard. "We're ready, Charizard."

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998)_

Charizard roared its reply, flapped its new wings, and took off into the sky.

"Don't squeeze its neck too hard now!" called Blaine. "You don't want it to accidentally smoke you out and throw you off!"

Charizard went higher and higher as Tristan and Hillary held on to its neck, taking care not to squeeze it too hard.

They were enjoying the fresh air and the picturesque view of Cinnabar Island from the sky.

"This is great," said Hillary. "Now you have a Charizard and another badge."

"I know," replied Tristan. "And I ought to thank you for helping me out."

"Don't forget that your Pokémon deserve most of the credit," added Hillary. Then she chuckled. "Actually, I should be thanking you for letting me come with you on your journey. I may not be a trainer yet, but I know that I'm learning a lot from watching you in action all this time."

"Our journey," corrected Tristan.

"And now that you only have one more badge to go, will our journey be over soon?" asked Hillary. She had been having so much fun traveling that she thought the purpose of traveling in Kanto would soon be over.

"Not even close," answered Tristan. "No matter what happens, there's always more to learn in the world of Pokémon. So I'd say that our adventures together are far from over."

"Well, do you know what's next?" asked Hillary.

"Well, as we're flying today, remember this: the sky's the limit," answered Tristan.

Hillary understood what Tristan meant, and she smiled.

Pikachu agreed with them as Charizard continued to fly on.

* * *

 _Thanks to his newly evolved Charizard and the teamwork of Blastoise and Lapras, Tristan has defeated Blaine and earned himself his seventh Gym badge. What new adventures await Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu? And what new mysteries in the incredible world of Pokémon have they yet to discover? No matter what happens, you can only find out if you simply stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	44. Chapter 44: THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 44 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Blaine from the anime makes one more appearance in this chapter. But also, here, you'll learn one possible explanation why Cinnabar Island was destroyed by a volcanic eruption according to the dialogue in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games. As a reminder, I don't own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other characters are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu wake up to a scary situation: the volcano on Cinnabar Island is about to erupt, and they only have a short time to get everyone and themselves off the island before they're toast!**

 **Chapter 44: THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION**

 _(Music Cue: Prayer (sample)_

 _After a big day of battling and earning a Volcano Badge at the Cinnabar Island Gym, we find Tristan and his friends fast asleep in the middle of the night at the Big Riddle Inn. However, the peace and tranquility on Cinnabar Island is about to be shattered._

It was a beautiful night on Cinnabar Island. The moon was bright and the wind was calm. Almost every building had their lights turned off, and everyone was fast asleep. When all of a sudden, a big, loud, and long roar sounded from far away.

Tristan immediately woke up from his sleep with a start from that roar. He was breathing heavily. "What was that?" he asked. He was surprised that Hillary hadn't moved at all. He immediately went over to where Hillary was sleeping. "Hillary, wake up!" he whispered.

Hillary groaned as her eyes opened. "I'm tired, Tristan," she said. "And I'm tired of you waking me up all the time."

"Sorry, sis, but I thought I heard something out there," said Tristan.

"Out where?" asked Hillary.

"It was outside," answered Tristan. "It sounded like a big roar. It was far away, but I could hear it."

"But that's impossible," replied Hillary. "You could never hear it from that far away."

Pikachu stirred in its sleep and eventually woke up to Tristan and Hillary's chattering.

Just then, Tristan and Hillary felt the ground shake violently under them. The sudden shaking woke Pikachu up as it held on tightly to the bed.

Hillary woke up as she fell onto the ground from the bed; fortunately, it wasn't very high off the ground. "Ow!" she grunted. "What's going on?"

"An earthquake?!" shouted Tristan as he clung on to the bed.

The shaking kept on for a few more seconds until it finally stopped.

"Phew!" said Tristan. "Is everybody okay?"

"I think so," replied Hillary. "But that was a bit too scary for my taste."

Suddenly, an alarm blared throughout the Big Riddle Inn.

"Now what's happening?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but maybe Blaine knows," replied Tristan.

Just then, the door burst open, and Blaine came in. "Hey, kids!" he shouted. "You've got to get out of here right now! It's about to happen!" He then disappeared.

"What's about to happen?!" exclaimed Tristan and Hillary.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation)_

Tristan and Hillary got dressed as quickly as possible and they got out of the building with Pikachu not far behind. It was then that they noticed that it wasn't just the Big Riddle Inn that had its alarms going off; they were going off in every building all over Cinnabar Island.

"Maybe the whole alarm system went kablooey," said Hillary.

Just then, an air raid siren began to go off as well.

"Maybe not!" shouted Tristan over the noise. "What's going on here?!"

At that moment, Blaine appeared. "When all the alarms and the air raid sirens go off at the same time, this could only mean one thing," he said. "The volcano is about to erupt big time. And when that happens, it will destroy all of Cinnabar Island!"

"All of it?!" gasped Tristan.

"All of it," answered Blaine.

"There's gotta be some way to stop the volcanic eruption, isn't there?" asked Hillary.

"Not this time," answered Blaine sadly. "There's no way to stop a volcanic eruption this big. Besides, when an earthquake sometimes hits Cinnabar Island, the volcano erupts. It doesn't happen all the time, but an earthquake this big will cause the volcano to spit out lava, magma, and a lot of ash, destroying the entire island with everyone on it."

Just then, a wail of a police siren was heard in the distance, and Officer Jenny appeared on her motorcycle. "You must get off this island immediately!" she ordered.

"But what about all the other citizens?" asked Tristan.

"I'm doing everything I can to get as many out of here as I can, but even at the rate I'm going, not all of them are going to make it," replied Officer Jenny. "In the meantime, I've radioed all available ferries to come to Cinnabar Island to get everyone and their belongings off this island as quickly as possible, but I don't know if I'll be able to do it alone."

"Then let us help you," suggested Blaine. "If we all split up, maybe we can get everyone to safety in time."

"Great idea, Blaine," replied Tristan. "And we can use our Pokémon to help out, too."

"And I can help out, too," added Hillary.

"That would be great," replied Officer Jenny. "Good luck." And she raced away on her motorcycle.

"Let's go!" said Blaine. "There's not a second to lose!"

And they all raced off to warn the residents of Cinnabar Island about the huge volcanic eruption about to take place.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Blaine helped out with getting all the citizens out of their homes with their most valuable possessions. Then they made their way to the pier overlooking the sea.

"Do you see any ferries yet, Blaine?" asked Hillary.

"Not yet," answered Blaine.

Just then, Officer Jenny arrived and joined everyone at the pier. "I've just heard from two ferries. They are on their way and will make emergency stops here to pick up as many residents and as much cargo as they can possibly carry. That should be more than enough to get everyone and everything off the island."

"Thanks, Officer Jenny," replied Hillary.

Just then, the ground shook violently again.

"Is this another earthquake?" asked Tristan.

"It may look and feel like it, but no," answered Blaine. "Look at the volcano!"

Sure enough, smoke was beginning to spew out from Cinnabar Island's volcano. The volcano was getting close to erupting.

"I sure hope those ferries hurry," said Hillary.

Just then, a toot from a giant ferry was heard as it was seen coming from over the horizon toward Cinnabar Island's pier.

"Hey, it's a ferry!" cried one of the residents.

"We're saved!" cried another.

Officer Jenny took out her megaphone and made an announcement. "Attention, all residents gathered at the pier. Please gather all your belonging and board the ship in a calm and orderly fashion. There's no need to push one another."

Just then the ferry docked and the gangplank was lowered toward the pier.

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"_

However, the residents were everything but calm. The result was instant panic.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were separated from one another by the mob of onrushing residents, frantically trying to get on board to escape the volcanic eruption.

"Hillary! Pikachu!" called Tristan. But his calls were drowned out by the shouting of the residents, and one after another pushed him further and further away from them and Blaine.

"Tristan! Big brother! Where are you?!" called Hillary. But her calls were also drowned out by the shouts of the frightened residents. And the more she tried to move, the more she got pushed and shoved. As a result, she couldn't see Tristan, Pikachu or Blaine anywhere.

Pikachu was having the most trouble of all because it was so small, and it wouldn't take much to stomp on something little.

Blaine was worried, too. But he had an idea. He took out a Pokéball. "Come out, Magmar!"

The Pokéball opened and Magmar materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Magmar, use your Flamethrower and aim it toward the sky!" instructed Blaine. "Hopefully, the kids will see it and come toward us!"

Magmar did as told, and unleashed a stream of fire from its beak towards the night sky so the passengers wouldn't be hurt by the fire.

It was then that Hillary noticed the stream of fire. "That must be a Flamethrower!" she said. "I've got to get to it!" And she set off toward the source of the fire while being extra careful not to be bumped by any of the residents rushing toward the ferry.

Tristan noticed Magmar's Flamethrower, too. "Something tells me that I need to get to the source of that flame," he said as he carefully made his way through the mob of onrushing residents. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through."

Slowly, but surely, Tristan and Hillary were making good progress getting to Magmar's Flamethrower and reuniting with one another.

Magmar was doing all it could to keep its flame going. "Keep it up, Magmar!" encouraged Blaine. "You're doing great!"

Magmar was working up a sweat using all it had.

Eventually, Tristan found Magmar first. "Hey, Blaine!" he called.

"There's one of them," said Blaine. "Now we just need the girl."

Hillary had slightly more trouble locating the source of the flame, but Hillary eventually found an opening in the crowd and found Tristan, Blaine, and Magmar. "There you are!" she said.

"Hillary!" said Tristan. "Thank goodness you weren't hurt."

"Well, it looks like the kids are reunited," said Blaine. "Now we just need to find a way to get off this island ourselves."

"The first ferry is filled to capacity, and the second one should arrive in a few minutes," replied Officer Jenny. "We'll get on that ferry and escape from the island with time to spare."

As she spoke, the first ferry started to move away from the pier. It took a few minutes, but the ferry sailed into the open sea and out of sight.

Tristan noticed that there was someone missing. He immediately got worried.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Hillary.

"I don't see Pikachu anywhere!" answered Tristan.

"What?!" exclaimed Officer Jenny.

"Let's stick together and look for it," replied Hillary as she and the others frantically began searching the pier for Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Where are you?" called Tristan.

Everyone tried calling Pikachu's name, but to no avail.

Just then, a second ferry tooted its horn as it arrived at Cinnabar Island's pier.

"Oh, no! That's our ferry, and it's the last one leaving Cinnabar Island!" gasped Hillary.

"We've got to find Pikachu and get out of here before another mob shows up," said Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Battle Kanto Trainer (version 1 (first time)) as heard in "The Wayward Wobbuffet")_

But it was too late, for just then, a mob of passengers appeared on the scene and made a mad dash toward the second ferry. More and more of them raced up the gangplank. The result again was instant panic. Tristan and Hillary couldn't see Pikachu anywhere in the huge crowd.

"Blaine, do you think you can have Magmar shoot another Flamethrower signal?" asked Tristan.

"We'll do our best," replied Blaine. "Magmar, use another Flamethrower to signal to Pikachu!"

Magmar shot another hot stream of fire from its beak towards the sky.

 _I just hope Pikachu's all right,_ thought Tristan.

Meanwhile, Pikachu was desperately struggling to get trampled by the feet of many of the onrushing residents. It couldn't see the flame shooting high into the sky. It thought that it saw a flame shooting high in the sky, but couldn't get through a gap big enough to get to it.

It was then that Magmar's flame weakened, and then stopped.

"Oh, no," said Blaine. "Magmar's exhausted. It can't use its Flamethrower anymore."

"What'll we do now?" asked Hillary.

"I have to get Pikachu," replied Tristan.

"But Tristan, you can't!" protested Hillary. "You'll get trampled!"

"I have to at least try," said Tristan. And before anyone could stop him, he disappeared into the crowd to try to get Pikachu.

He tried to get through the scores of people frantically trying to catch the last ferry leaving Cinnabar Island, but there weren't enough big gaps for him to get through. This made him frustrated.

"Come on already!" complained Tristan. "There has to be something I can do, but what?" Suddenly, he came up with a brilliant idea. If he shouted loudly, Pikachu may be able to hear him, even with this much noise. He took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could, "Pikachu, Thunder!"

Even through the many crowds, Pikachu could sense Tristan's voice using its ears. It gathered the electricity in its cheeks and shot a big stream of electricity everywhere, accidentally giving some of the residents a big shock.

Everyone at the pier saw that incredible show of power.

Even Blaine was impressed. "Well, that ought to do it," he said.

Pikachu lay on the ground, exhausted from using up a lot of its power.

"Pikachu! Pikachu!" called Tristan.

Pikachu immediately stood up and heard Tristan's voice, and was very relieved to see him as it jumped into his arms.

"Are you okay? I was worried about you," said Tristan.

Pikachu replied happily as it and Tristan embraced.

Some of the residents stood up, and were very unhappy about getting shocked.

"Hey, what'd you do that for?!" shouted one of them.

"Yeah, someone could have been hurt...namely, me!" added another.

"I'm sorry, but Pikachu was lost in the crowd, and I didn't want it to get trampled!" protested Tristan. "And besides, it was the only thing I could think of to get it back safe and sound."

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos as heard in "Shell Shock")_

Just then, the ground shook violently from under everyone's feet again.

This time, it was more intense, but that was reason enough for the residents to stop being angry at Tristan and start running in terror again toward the last ferry leaving Cinnabar Island.

Tristan wasn't going to lose Pikachu again, so he held on to it as tight as he possibly could to shield it from the the onrushing residents. "Don't worry, Pikachu," he said. "I won't let you go this time. I promise."

Meanwhile, Blaine, Hillary, and Officer Jenny were waiting anxiously for Tristan and Pikachu to come back.

"Where are Tristan and Pikachu?" asked Hillary. "They should have been back by now."

"This crowd of people is certainly restless today," remarked Blaine.

It was then that the last of the residents boarded the last ferry leaving Cinnabar Island, and as they did, the ferry started to leave the pier.

"Well, that's it," said Officer Jenny. "The evacuation's complete, but it looks like we're stranded here."

"Hillary! Blaine!" called a voice.

Hillary was relieved to hear Tristan's voice. "Hey, it's Tristan!" said Hillary.

"And Pikachu is with him," added Blaine.

Sure enough, Tristan had Pikachu in hand as he reunited with Hillary, Blaine, and Officer Jenny.

"Thank goodness...again!" said Hillary. "Do you know how worried sick I was about you?!"

"I'm sorry, guys," said Tristan. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"What matters is that you're both safe," replied Blaine.

"But now, we have to find a way to get off Cinnabar Island ourselves before that volcano blows," added Officer Jenny.

"I'm afraid, she's right," agreed Blaine.

"Mommy! Mommy!" shouted a little girl as she appeared at the pier.

"What's going on, little girl?" asked Tristan.

"I saw my mom get on the boat, and I lost her in the crowd!" she cried as tears flowed down her eyes.

"Mina! Mina!" called a woman's voice from the ferry.

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary. "If we don't find a way to get the girl and her mother together soon before the volcano blows, bad things are going to happen!"

"And it's only a matter of minutes till they do!" added Blaine.

Just then the ground shook much more violently, knocking everyone on the island off their feet. Then they saw the volcano spewing lava and ash in large chunks into the atmosphere.

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis")_

"Um, Blaine, about the 'in a matter of minutes' part," said Hillary, "don't you mean now!?"

Sure enough, hot lava was speeding down the volcano as it began to erupt.

"Oh, no!" cried Blaine. "The volcano's already blowing! And we don't have any way of getting off Cinnabar Island in one piece before it gets destroyed!"

"Help!" cried another voice. "Please help me!" The voice turned out to be Nurse Joy, who was running from the Pokémon Center as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Nurse Joy! What's the matter?" called Tristan.

"I made sure every one of the residents and their Pokémon were evacuated from the Pokémon Center," replied Nurse Joy, "but I escaped just before the volcano began to erupt!"

"This is bad," said Hillary. "The ferries have left without us, the little girl, and Nurse Joy. We've got to find a way to get off of Cinnabar Island before we're toast."

"I know what to do," said Tristan as he took out his five Pokéballs. "I choose everyone!"

Five white lights shot out, and Ivysaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pidgeot, and Lapras materialized from them and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"I need all of you to help!" ordered Tristan. "We need to get off of Cinnabar Island now!"

All the Pokémon nodded in reply.

"Ivysaur, I need you to get on Lapras and help the little girl back back to her mother on the ferry in the distance," instructed Tristan.

Ivysaur nodded and jumped on Lapras's back. Then, it used its Vine Whip to haul Mina on board.

"All right, go, Lapras!" commanded Tristan.

Lapras nodded and raced away at once to try and catch up with the ferry.

As the volcano continued to erupt, the rampaging lava and magma sped toward every building and destroyed them on the spot.

Hillary saw that the magma and lava were coming straight toward them at frightening speed. "Aah! The magma's coming this way!" she cried.

"Then we've gotta move fast!" replied Tristan. "Hillary, Nurse Joy, go ahead and get on Pidgeot! It should be big enough to carry the both of you!"

Hillary and Nurse Joy quickly got on Pidgeot's back and they all took off into the sky.

"Officer Jenny, hurry and get on Blastoise now!" instructed Tristan.

"You got it," replied Officer Jenny. She quickly hopped on Blastoise as it started to swim away from Cinnabar Island.

"I guess that leaves just us," said Blaine, "and Pikachu, too."

"Then, we'll all just have to have Charizard take us," replied Tristan.

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Blaine. "Are you crazy?! Your Charizard just evolved and you expect me to believe that you trained it to fly with all of us flying with it in a matter of hours?"

"Look, Blaine," said Tristan. "I know it's risky, but you're going to have to trust me on this." He turned to Charizard. "Okay, Charizard, do you think you can carry us off the island before it's too late?"

Charizard nodded, and was just about to let Tristan, Pikachu, and Blaine on when a gigantic boulder from the volcano's eruption hurtled straight toward Blaine and Tristan!

"Watch out!" cried Tristan.

Instantly, Charizard fired a Flamethrower from its mouth at the boulder, melting it on the spot and turning it into sand.

Tristan and Blaine found themselves covered in the sand just like playing in the sandbox, but they were unharmed, nonetheless.

"That was close. Thanks, Charizard," said Tristan.

Charizard nodded.

"All right," said Blaine. "That convinced me. Let's get on Charizard."

Tristan nodded as he, Pikachu, and Blaine quickly got on Charizard and seated themselves.

"Okay, Charizard, let's get out of here!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard flapped its mighty wings and took off into the sky just as the lava and magma from the volcano reached the pier, leaving Cinnabar Island completely destroyed.

Everyone looked on at Cinnabar Island as the once populated destination was covered by a thick layer of smoke and ash with nothing left in sight.

"Whoa. That was close," remarked Blaine. "Everyone got off the island in time."

 _But something isn't adding up,_ thought Tristan. _Why_ _did those earthquakes happen, and why did the volcano erupt in the first place?_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

In a matter of minutes, Mina was reunited with her mother as Ivysaur helped haul her off Lapras's back and safely on board the ferry.

"My little girl," said Mina's mother. "Are you okay?"

Mina nodded. "I am now," she replied as she and her mother embraced.

Mina's mother waved to Lapras and Ivysaur. "Thank you both for your help," she said. "And please be sure to thank your trainer for us, whoever he is." And they both waved as the ferry disappeared from view.

With Hillary and Nurse Joy flying on Pidgeot, Officer Jenny riding on Blastoise, Ivysaur riding on Lapras, and Tristan, Blaine, and Pikachu flying on Charizard, they all sadly looked on at Cinnabar Island, but were all relieved that the chaos was over at last as the sun began to rise.

"Cinnabar Island is gone," said Blaine despondently. Then, his frown turned upside down. "But you know, I'll find a new spot for my Gym. I think I'll go on Seafoam Island for awhile and train more of my fire Pokémon."

Tristan smiled, too. "I know you can do it," he said. "And I'll all be rooting for you in spirit."

"Me, too," added Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with Tristan.

* * *

 _As our friends watch Cinnabar Island go up in smoke, they're happy in the knowledge that they all escaped unharmed. Little do they know that more mysteries are out there in the world of Pokémon. What are those mysteries? One thing's for sure: there are many out there._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	45. Chapter 45: A VISIT TO PALLET TOWN

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 45 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Delia Ketchum, Professor Oak, and Tracey Sketchit from the anime make appearances in this chapter. Just a reminder that I DON"T own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrive in New Bark Town to visit Professor Oak. When Tristan challenges Delia to a battle, he will have a difficult time with Mr. Mime, who can make walls appear! How will he get past this pantomime act?**

 **Chapter 45: A VISIT TO PALLET TOWN**

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 (version 1) The Road to Viridian City)_

 _After earning a Volcano Badge from Blaine, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader, our friends decide to make a quick stop in Pallet Town before challenging the next Gym.._

"Pallet Town sure looks beautiful, doesn't it Pikachu?" said Tristan as he and his friends overlooked it from a hill. "This is where you and I first met."

Pikachu agreed.

"You can get a good view from up here," added Hillary. "The town may be small, but it looks like it's got a whole lot of everything."

"Except a Pokémon Center," reminded Tristan.

"Good point," chuckled Hillary. "I wonder if we can see our old house from here."

"I doubt it," replied Tristan. "And I doubt that Mom and Dad are home. They're probably out journeying, just like we are right now."

"Speaking of journeying," said Hillary, "we haven't talked with Professor Oak in a while. Why don't we stop by his laboratory and say hi?

"Good idea," replied Tristan. "I'll race you!" And he ran off with Pikachu running right behind him.

"Hey, wait up!" called Hillary as she raced after them. "You got a head start!" And they continued to run toward Professor Oak's laboratory.

* * *

"Professor Oak?" called Tristan as he rang the bell a few minutes later.

"Are you home?" asked Hillary.

The door opened and Professor Oak appeared. "Ah, Tristan and Hillary!" he said. "Please come in." He led them inside.

"This looks sort of familiar," said Tristan. "This must be the place where Pikachu and I first met."

Professor Oak nodded. "And it's also where you first battled Blue," added Professor Oak. "How have things been going?"

"Doing great, Professor," answered Tristan. "I already have seven badges."

"Ah, that is impressive," replied Professor Oak.

"And I've been keeping Tristan out of trouble," added Hillary.

Professor Oak chuckled. "I'm sure Tristan couldn't do anything without you," he said.

"That's not true!" retorted Tristan.

"Ha ha ha! Just kidding," replied Professor Oak.

"Is Mrs. Ketchum with you today?" asked Hillary.

"She is," answered Professor Oak. "She's in my living room." And he opened the door to what appeared to be a large living area with couches and a TV set.

Sure enough, there was a woman sitting on one of the couches, and it was indeed, Delia Ketchum. "Hello, kids!" she said.

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum," replied Tristan and Hillary together.

Presently, a bipedal Pokémon with a white round body appeared beside Delia. It had a pink face, pink arms, and pink legs, and it had magenta circles on its cheeks. It also had magenta pads on the tips of its white fingers.

"Is that a Pokémon?" asked Tristan. He took out his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

 _"Mr. Mime: The Barrier Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"It uses pantomime to make actual walls appear. Because it is rarely discovered, information about this Pokémon is extremely limited."_

"So that's a Mr. Mime!" said Tristan as he walked over to it. "How do you do? May I shake your hand?"

"Mr. Mime!" greeted Mr. Mime as it extended its hand to Tristan's giving it a proper handshake.

"Is this your Mr. Mime, Mrs. Ketchum?" asked Hillary.

"Yes, it is," replied Delia. "I call it Mimey."

"Mimey?" repeated Tristan. "That's a weird name."

"I don't think it's weird," replied Hillary. "So how did you get it, Mrs. Ketchum? Did you see one and capture it with a Pokéball?"

Delia smiled. "Actually, I didn't capture it with a Pokéball," she replied. "It decided to wander to my home. It seemed to like me a lot. At first, I thought it was my son, Ash, dressed up in a Mr. Mime costume, but when Team Rocket showed up, I asked it to help him and me out in defeating those criminals. And we've been friends ever since."

"That's a great story, Mrs. Ketchum," said Tristan. "You and Mr. Mime must be real close if you two have been together for this long." He turned to his Pikachu. "Right, pal?"

Pikachu agreed.

"Why don't I cook up a nice lunch back at my place?" suggested Delia.

"That sounds good," added Professor Oak. "I think you'll like Delia's cooking."

"All right!" said Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu liked the idea, too.

"What a surprise, Tristan," replied Hillary. "The idea of food always makes you happy, and it's the perfect way to keep our strength up."

* * *

Back at Delia's house, Tristan had one of everything that she cooked up from scrambled eggs to cheeseburger and fries to pizza. Everyone else was enjoying one course of delicious food at a time.

"It looks like your appetite is as healthy as Ash's," smiled Delia. "That makes me happy."

"I'm just happy to chow down on this delicious food," replied Tristan.

"Somehow, Tristan, you remind me of Ash in several ways," said Delia. "Even though you seem mature, you two could be twins."

"Twins?!" exclaimed Tristan. "I just want to meet him, not be twins with him!"

"I think Mrs. Ketchum knows that, Tristan," replied Hillary.

"By the way, Tristan," said Professor Oak, "since you have seven badges, I should remind you that you have three months before you get your last badge and the Pokémon League Competition begins."

"Three months?!" exclaimed Tristan. "Any idea where I can get my last badge?"

"Calm down, Tristan," said Hillary. ""Remember, you have one more badge to get. You said so yourself."

"I think the best place to get your last badge should be at the Viridian Gym," said Professor Oak. "Construction should be finished by now."

Tristan breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, I just have to remember everything that I learned after I started my journey." He then closed his eyes and began to think back to his very first day as a Pokémon Trainer.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

He remembered back when he first got Pikachu and how he battled his rival, Blue, for the first time. Then he thought back to the time that when he caught his first Pokémon, a little Pidgey. He, Hillary, and Pikachu worked together as a team to come up with a plan to catch it. Then he remembered the times he caught Caterpie, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, all of whom had grown up considerably. One battle after another had crossed his mind, and he seemed to get better with each one. And with this much experience, plus seven Gym victories under his belt, he immediately regained his composure. There was now a fire in his eyes, burning with a passion for victory. He was certainly on a hot streak, and he was confident that nothing would stand in his way.

Hillary was impressed. "Whoa. Now that's what I call composure."

"Professor, do you happen to know what type of Pokémon the Viridian Gym Leader uses?" asked Tristan.

"Unfortunately, that's been a mystery to me," replied Professor Oak. "My grandson, Gary, challenged the Viridian Gym, but lost to some unknown Legendary Pokémon with evil powers."

"Evil?" asked Tristan. "Is there an evil Gym Leader there?"

"Well, I'm not positive on the identity," answered Professor Oak. "I do know that he used a Golem and a Kingler against Gary."

 _Hmmm,_ thought Tristan. _Sounds like I'd better look them up._ He took out his Pokédex and studied the two Pokémon Professor Oak just mentioned.

 _"Golem: The Megaton Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"Golem's boulder-like body is extremely hard, it can withstand blasts of dynamite._

 _"Kingler: The Pincer Pokémon: The evolved form of Krabby. Kingler's claws have the power to pinch with 10,000 horsepower."_

"It sounds like those two Pokémon will be tough to beat, Tristan," said Hillary nervously. "Are you sure you're up to that?"

"I won't know unless I try, right?" replied Tristan. "So I have to."

"That's the spirit," smiled Professor Oak. "And even if you don't see these two Pokémon, with as much training and studying you do along with your Pokémon, you should be able to handle any surprises your opponents throw at you."

"All right, then," said Tristan. "There's no time to lose." He turned to Delia. "Mrs. Ketchum, would you have a battle with me?"

Delia became nervous. "I don't know," she said. "Mr. Mime and I have never been in a battle before."

"I wouldn't worry about that at all, Delia," assured Professor Oak. "Your Mr. Mime knows some good attacks, and I'm sure it will be happy to help you in this battle."

Delia agreed. Then, she said to Tristan, "I accept your challenge."

Just then, the front door of the house opened and in stepped a boy wearing a green short-sleeved shirt, red shorts, and a peach-colored headband. "Am I too late for the party?" he asked.

"Ah, Tracey," said Professor Oak. "It's good to see you back from your rounds. I'd like you to meet Tristan and Hillary. They're visiting us today." He extended his hand and said to Tristan and Hillary, "This is my assistant, Tracey, kids. He's a Pokémon watcher. He's been with me ever since Ash, Misty, and Brock left for the Johto region."

"Hello, Tracey," said Tristan and Hillary together.

Pikachu greeted Tracey warmly.

"Hi, guys," replied Tracey. "It's nice to meet you. So what's happening?"

"I'm just about to have a practice battle with Mrs. Ketchum," answered Tristan.

"That sounds like fun," said Tracey. "Mind if I watch?"

"Sure, it's fine with me, Tracey," replied Tristan.

* * *

Everyone proceeded to the open field in the back of Professor Oak's laboratory a few minutes later. Tristan and Delia faced each other on opposite sides of the field.

"Even though this is my first battle, Tristan, I don't want you going easy on me," warned Delia.

"I intend to go all out, Mrs. Ketchum," replied Tristan.

"Let's do it, Mr. Mime!" said Delia.

Mr. Mime walked in front of Delia and readied itself for battle.

 _That Mr. Mime looks pretty strong, but if I want to be the best trainer someday, I have to challenge myself,_ thought Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Ivysaur, I choose you!"

The Pokéball opened and Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

Hillary was a little perplexed. "Why Ivysaur?" she asked herself.

"Interesting," said Professor Oak. "That Bulbasaur must have evolved. We'll see what tricks Tristan has in store this time." He turned his attention to the battlefield and shouted, "Let the battle begin!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

"Ivysaur, start off with your Razor Leaf attack!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor sharp leaves at Mr. Mime.

"Mr. Mime, Light Screen!" commanded Delia.

Mr. Mime raised its hands and created a pink wall of light, keeping Ivysaur's Razor Leaf from doing any damage.

"I've got plenty more attacks than that! Okay, Ivysaur, try a Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur shot two vines from the bud on its back, but Light Screen prevented Mr. Mime from getting any damage.

"What's going on?" asked Tristan. "Vine Whip doesn't seem to be working either."

"Mrs. Ketchum's using Mr. Mime's Light Screen to shield against Razor Leaf and Vine Whip," said Tracey. "That's an excellent strategy." He took out a sketchpad along with a pencil. "I'll have to make a sketch of this." And he began to draw what he was seeing.

"Tristan, you've gotta try something else!" shouted Hillary. "Razor Leaf and Vine Whip aren't working!"

 _Hillary's right,_ thought Tristan. _I'll have to try a straightforward attack._ "Now, Ivysaur, use Tackle attack!" he shouted.

Ivysaur did a full-body charge at Mr. Mime.

"Mr. Mime, use Barrier!" commanded Delia.

Mr. Mime raised its hands again and created another wall of light, but it was blue instead of pink.

Just as Ivysaur was about to ram into Mr. Mime, it rammed into the Barrier attack instead, shielding Mr. Mime from the physical damage and hurting Ivysaur instead.

"No, Ivysaur!" cried Tristan.

"This is crazy!" exclaimed Hillary. "Now Mr. Mime's protected against Grass attacks AND direct attacks!"

"Mrs. Ketchum's doing incredibly well!" remarked Tracey. "She's really giving Tristan a tough time with that combo."

"Mr. Mime, use your DoubleSlap!" shouted Delia.

Mr. Mime charged at Ivysaur and repeatedly slapped it around with its hands, one slap after another.

"Hang in there, Ivysaur!" encouraged Tristan. _I can't believe how good that Mr. Mime is,_ he thought. _Mrs. Ketchum WANTED me to attack her Mr. Mime with those attacks. I have to think of something quick, because if I don't, it's all over!_

Ivysaur kept getting pummeled by Mr. Mime's DoubleSlap attack, making it completely immobilized.

"Tristan's gotta think more clearly if he expects to win," said Hillary. "But I don't know what he can do as long as Mr. Mime's Barrier and Light Screen attacks are still in effect."

"Yes, Delia seems to be doing quite well," remarked Professor Oak.

"Yeah, but the question is, can Tristan think of something without having to worry about that Barrier and Light Screen combo?" asked Tracey.

"The odds may be against him," replied Professor Oak, "but I have a feeling he can turn this match around."

 _There has to be some way of attacking without using any offensive attacks,_ thought Tristan. Then he smiled. _That's it! If I can't use any offensive attacks, maybe I can use some defensive attacks to wear Mr. Mime out! It just might work!_ "Ivysaur, use Leech Seed!" he shouted.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

Ivysaur fired a brown-colored seed from the bud on its back at Mr. Mime.

"I guess you'll never learn," said Delia. "Mr. Mime's Barrier and Light Screen attacks are still in effect. That Leech Seed attack will get blocked just like your last three offensive attacks."

Ivysaur's Leech Seed attack continued to rocket toward Mr. Mime as Tristan looked on.

"And what makes you think Leech Seed is an _offensive_ attack?" asked Tristan.

Delia was confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just watch," replied Tristan.

Sure enough, the brown seed landed on Mr. Mime and it began to sprout leaves and vines, and as it did, the vines glowed red, causing Mr. Mime to feel the shock. Its energy was slowly, but surely, being drained.

"No, Mimey!" cried Delia.

"I've never seen anything like this," remarked Tracey. "Ivysaur's Leech Seed is causing Mr. Mime to run out of energy. Tristan must have found a way to turn this battle around for him even with the Barrier and Light Screen combo still in effect."

"Go for it, Tristan!" cheered Hillary.

"Ivysaur, Sleep Powder attack!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a silvery powder from the bud on its back. The powder scattered all over a seeded and exhausted Mr. Mime, who slowly fell to the ground, closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

The vines from Ivysaur's Leech Seed disappeared, as Mr. Mime had lost the last of its energy to battle.

"Well, that's it!" announced Professor Oak. "Tristan and Ivysaur are the winners!"

"Way to go, Ivysaur," commended Tristan. "You were awesome."

Ivysaur replied happily.

Tristan and Ivysaur quickly ran over to Mr. Mime just as Delia was cradling it.

"Are you okay, Mimey?" asked Delia.

Mr. Mime slowly woke up and gave a tired, but happy reply.

"Oh, thank goodness," sighed Delia.

"Is Mr. Mime okay?" asked Tristan.

"Oh, Mr. Mime just needs a good rest, that's all," replied Delia. "Isn't that right, Mimey?"

Mr. Mime nodded.

"I never expected a Leech Seed and Sleep Powder combo to overpower my Barrier and Light Screen combo like that," said Delia. "Oh, well. I guess that means I still have a lot to learn."

"I think we all have a lot to learn, but maybe when Ash comes back to Pallet Town, he can give you some pointers," smiled Tristan.

"And I can help you out, too," added Tracey.

"That's a great idea," replied Delia. "I'll be a battle expert like Ash in no time. After all, battle skills run in the family!"

Everyone laughed.

* * *

"So, as I understand, you're off to Viridian City," said Professor Oak as Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu got ready to leave Pallet Town.

"That's right, Professor," replied Hillary.

"I know you'll get your final badge, Tristan," said Tracey. "I'll be rooting for you."

"We all are," added Delia. "Good luck."

"Thanks, guys," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

"We'll see you later," added Hillary as she, Tristan, and Pikachu waved goodbye to Professor Oak, Tracey, and Delia.

"Be careful, guys!" called Delia as she, Tracey, and Professor Oak waved back. "And thanks for the great battle, Tristan!"

"Keep up the training!" added Professor Oak.

"You can call us anytime if you need advice!" added Tracey.

"We will!" replied Tristan and Hillary together.

* * *

 _As our friends leave the comforts of Pallet Town behind them, they know the only thing on their minds is Tristan's final Gym Battle in Viridian City, where his last badge and possibly the toughest challenge yet await._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	46. Chapter 46: THE MYSTERY GYM LEADER

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's late, but here is Chapter 46 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Giovanni from the anime makes an appearance, but for those of you who don't know what happened at the beginning, Giovanni disguised himself to help Tristan get over his traumatic experience of Team Rocket after he was safely brought back to the house in Pallet Town after he was kidnapped. For that, go back to Chapter 1. Giovanni appears in disguise in this episode, and you'll find out what his name is. The residents eventually find out about Giovanni's true nature as well as finding out how he handled his victims in the past, particularly Gary and his cheerleaders. As always, please feel free to read and review. And remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is ready to battle for his final badge at the Viridian Gym, but the Gym Leader's identity is a complete mystery! Who is he, and why does he know Tristan so well? What is Giovanni really after?**

 **Chapter 46: THE MYSTERY GYM LEADER**

 _(Music Cue: Opening and Title Screen as heard in "Volcanic Panic")_

 _Today, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu have finally arrived back in Viridian City. It's here that Tristan hopes to earn his next badge. And if he does, it'll be his eighth, therefore giving him the right to participate in the Pokémon League Competition, which just happens to be three months away._

"So, Tristan," said Hillary as she walked with Tristan and Pikachu through the streets of Viridian City, "what's your strategy for today?"

"Here's the strategy," replied Tristan. "We win, and then we win, and then we win some more!"

Pikachu agreed with him.

"That's the attitude I'd expect from someone as strong as you," remarked Hillary.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," replied Tristan.

"Aw, come on, Tristan, you're being too modest," said Hillary. "I've seen you train, and I know your style. And even if you lose from time to time, you always find a way to get back on your feet."

"You're right," replied Tristan. "Let's go get that last badge!"

And Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu excitedly raced over to the Viridian Gym as fast as their legs could carry them.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived at the Viridian Gym a few moments later. It looked brand-new, and it had been finished at last.

"Boy," said Hillary. "Building this Gym must have taken a lot of hard work."

"But I'm sure it was worth the wait," replied Tristan. "Now to find that Gym Leader."

Pikachu was about to agree with them when it suddenly pricked up its ears and sensed something. It alerted Tristan at once.

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears (first half))_

"What's the matter Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu didn't answer. Sparks were sizzling from its cheeks, as if an enemy was approaching.

"Do you think Team Rocket's here?" asked Hillary nervously.

"I don't know, but stay close," replied Tristan.

Just then, footsteps could be heard approaching them. A person was approaching them from the shadows.

"Get ready," advised Tristan as he readied himself for whoever was coming their way.

The person who approached chuckled evilly to himself. And when he stepped out of the shadows, Tristan was surprised at whom he saw, for he was staring at a man who was wearing a gray suit and tie, and a fedora on his head.

"Wait! I know you!" gasped Tristan. "You're the one who helped me forget about Team Rocket some time ago!"

"So you do remember me," replied the man. "The only thing I didn't do was introduce myself at the time. My name's Grover. I'm the Viridian Gym Leader."

"Grover, huh?" replied Hillary. "That's an interesting name."

"We heard the Gym Leader specialized in Ground-type Pokémon," added Tristan. "But I also heard that he used a Golem and a Kingler."

"Really?" replied Grover. "Well, if you'd really like to know what Pokémon I have, what do you say to having a Gym battle right now?"

"I was just going to challenge you to the same thing," replied Tristan.

Grover smiled and chuckled evilly to himself. Little did Tristan and Hillary know that he was really Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, in disguise.

 _(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

 _Tristan, you are such a naive fool,_ thought Giovanni. _You have no idea who I really am or of the danger that's in store for you._ _And I have big plans for you...you and your family, that is. And soon, I'll gain control of all your Pokémon._

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Giovanni, disguised as Grover, entered the Viridian Gym. It looked like it was brand new.

"Please forgive me for this bland interior," said Grover. "I've been wanting to get another coat of paint to add to the fresh coat of paint that was added on a few weeks ago."

"It seems like a state-of-the-art Gym," replied Hillary. "This may be one of the best Gyms in the world."

"This Gym used to be controlled by Team Rocket with Giovanni as the Gym Leader," explained Grover. "His Gym was destroyed by a few agents of Team Rocket and some kids that came here last year. He was so frustrated at the loss of his Gym that he decided to stop being Gym Leader, and so I was asked to run the Gym temporarily in his place until a new Gym Leader could be found."

"That's an interesting story, Grover," remarked Hillary. She then turned to Tristan, who didn't say a word. He was no longer smiling; in fact, he was suspicious of something. This concerned her. "What's the matter, Tristan?"

Tristan snapped out of his trance and turned to Hillary. "Oh, it's nothing," he replied. _But something isn't adding up,_ he thought. _Why is Grover telling the story of Giovanni leaving the Gym? And why did Pikachu spark like that when he first came to us? And what is this evil I'm sensing? I'd better figure out the answers to these questions, and soon._

"All right, young man," said Grover to Tristan, "let's begin our Gym battle right away."

"Let's do it," replied Tristan as he and Grover took their places on opposite sides of the battlefield.

"This will be a three-on three battle with no time limit," explained Grover. "I hope you're ready for this, because I've been looking forward to a great battle for quite some time." He took out a Pokéball,

It opened and a large, gray bipedal Pokémon with a cream colored drill on its snout emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"It's a Rhydon!" gasped Tristan.

"I think my Rhydon will be all I'm going to need to win this battle single-handed," said Grover. "That is, unless you happen to have some strong Pokémon to try and defeat me with."

"Well, it just so happens that I do," replied Tristan as he took out his first Pokéball and threw it. "Blastoise, go!"

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's instructions.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

"Ah, a Blastoise," smiled Grover. "A very wise choice indeed, young man. However, I hope you didn't choose it just because that only type itself will be enough to defeat me."

"It isn't just that, Grover," replied Tristan. "This will be decided by our abilities and who can show more creativity in their attacks. I learned that in my Gym battle with Blaine just the other day."

"Ah, impressive," smiled Grover. "You've learned quite a bit since you first started your journey. But let's see if that will be enough to earn you a badge! Rhydon, start shaking things up with Earthquake now!"

Rhydon jumped off the ground and stomped on the ground with both of its feet, sending out shock waves.

Blastoise tried hard to stay on its own two feet.

However, Hillary had a harder time staying on her feet. "This is just like a real earthquake!" she cried. "I don't have anything to hold onto except Pikachu!"

Pikachu agreed as it tried to hang on to Hillary, hoping that she would be sturdy enough to help keep each other balanced.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump attack!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise's cannons appeared from its shell. Two powerful blasts of water emerged from them, and they were headed straight towards Rhydon.

"A smart choice, boy," remarked Grover. "Unfortunately for you, not smart enough. Rhydon, block it with your Horn Drill."

Rhydon spun its drill fast and kept Hydro Pump from reaching it.

"Look at that!" remarked Hillary. "Rhydon's using its Horn Drill to block Hydro Pump from getting to it! Grover has certainly trained his Rhydon extremely well, and seems to be ready with whatever attack Tristan throws at it!"

 _This is just like when I battled Rhydon last time,_ thought Tristan. _I have to_ _figure out a way to stop it...and fast._

"Now attack!" instructed Grover.

Rhydon charged at Blastoise with its drill still spinning.

"Grover must be using Rhydon's Horn Drill as part of a strategy to stop Blastoise!" said Hillary. "It seems like it can switch from defending to attacking with it very quickly. I sure hope Tristan can think of something before it's too late!"

"Blastoise, protect yourself using Withdraw!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise's head and limbs disappeared into its shell just as Rhydon's Horn Drill attack made contact with it. Thanks to the shell, the damage from the attack was cancelled out.

"Excellent defense, my friend," remarked Grover. "But no trainer wins on defense alone. Rhydon, finish it off with Rock Slide."

Rhydon raised its front claws into the air as it began to glow in a blue aura. Then, large, gray boulders began to appear over Rhydon.

"Tristan, watch out!" shouted Hillary.

Rhydon thrust its front claws forward, causing the rocks to head straight for Blastoise.

"Blastoise, get away!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late. The rocks hit Blastoise one by one, and sure enough, they covered Blastoise from head to toe, causing a cloud of dust to form.

"Blastoise!" cried Tristan.

When the dust cleared, a pile of rubble could be seen where Blastoise was standing. There was now silence.

"Looks like it's game over," said Grover.

But suddenly, the rocks began to shake. Then two powerful blasts of water emerged from them. Blastoise then appeared, and it was now free.

"Yeah, that's the way, Blastoise!" commended Tristan.

"Phew! That was close," said Hillary. "I thought Blastoise was a goner."

"This battle isn't over yet!" shouted Grover. "Rhydon, Fury Attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Shell Shock"))_

Rhydon charged at Blastoise again by using its drill as a horn to try and repeatedly jab Blastoise with it.

"Blastoise, use your Ice Beam attack!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise shot an ice-cold beam of energy at Rhydon. Ice Beam had struck it head on, and it was soon frozen solid.

"No, my Rhydon!" gasped Grover.

"Blastoise, Skull Bash!" shouted Tristan.

Blastoise's head glowed in a silver aura as it charged at Rhydon head on. It scored a direct hit on it, shattering the ice and knocking it out instantly.

"Rhydon," sighed Grover.

"Blastoise did it!" cried Hillary excitedly.

Pikachu cheered along with Hillary.

"That was great, Blastoise," commended Tristan. "Good job."

Blastoise replied approvingly.

Grover returned Rhydon to its Pokéball and turned to Tristan. "I must admit that your Blastoise is a lot stronger than I thought," he said. "Perhaps I underestimated your skills as a Trainer. However, I assure you that you won't win, so I will select my Nidoqueen. Go!" He threw his second Pokéball.

A large bipedal blue Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had distinct reptilian features and was encased with extremely hard scales. It had a small horn on its forehead.

"Let's see what Dexter knows," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex and scanned Nidoqueen.

 _"Nidoqueen: The Drill Pokémon: The final evolution of the female Nidoran,"_ identified Dexter. _"Nidoqueen's hard scales provide protection. It uses its hefty bulk to execute powerful attacks."_

"Whoa, another powerful Pokémon," remarked Hillary. "When it comes to being a Gym Leader, Grover doesn't mess around."

"Let's go, Nidoqueen, charge in!" commanded Grover.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

Nidoqueen charged toward Blastoise at tremendous speed, much to everyone's surprise.

"I never knew that a Nidoqueen could run that fast, especially since it's got a bulky body!" remarked Hillary.

"Heads up, Blastoise!" shouted Tristan. "Use Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise shot out two powerful blasts of water from the cannons on its back.

The water struck Nidoqueen, but it was not fazed a bit and shook off the attack.

"No way!" gasped Tristan.

"Nice try," smirked Grover. "To Nidoqueen, that attack was just a trickle of water compared to what it's going to do to your Blastoise. Nidoqueen, Double Kick!"

Nidoqueen jumped and used its powerful feet to kick Blastoise twice.

"Hang on, Blastoise!" encouraged Tristan.

"Time for a surprise," said Grover. "Nidoqueen, knock it out with Thunder attack!"

"Nidoqueen can't use Electric attacks!" protested Hillary.

"Then what do you call this?" asked Grover.

Sure enough, electricity sizzled from Nidoqueen's horn on its head, and it shot a giant yellow stream of electricity at Blastoise, scoring a direct hit on it.

"Blastoise, no!" cried Tristan.

Blastoise collapsed on the ground, knocked out. Nidoqueen's Thunder attack was too much for it to take.

"Poor Blastoise," said Hillary sadly. "That was definitely a powerful Electric attack."

"Blastoise, return!" called Tristan as a red beam of energy shot out from Blastoise's Pokéball.

The beam transformed Blastoise into red energy and shot it back inside.

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Tristan held the Pokéball close. "Don't worry about it, Blastoise," he said. "You have a good rest." He turned suspiciously to Grover. "Hey, how did your Nidoqueen learn to use Thunder like that? You didn't copy abilities from an Electric Pokémon, did you?"

"Relax, boy," replied Grover. "I taught Nidoqueen to use Thunder fair and square. You see, this Gym uses Ground Pokémon, so most challengers would use a Grass or Water Pokémon to win, but type alone almost always isn't enough to earn challengers a badge."

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan.

"You see," explained Grover, "a Gym Leader's job is to provide as tough of a challenge to Trainers as often as possible, constantly challenging their skills in battle. The challenger, in turn, must use a level head while thinking quickly on their feet, especially when there are surprises waiting for them at every turn. Most challengers wouldn't have known that my Nidoqueen can use Electric attacks, which counters the advantage most Water Pokémon would have against it. And your case was, unfortunately, no different. However, you still have two Pokémon left to use, so choose wisely."

 _Grover's really giving me a hard time,_ thought Tristan. _I know if I use Lapras, I'll have the advantage, but Nidoqueen's Thunder attack could knock it out in one shot. I'll just have to risk trying._ He took out his second Pokéball, threw it, and shouted, "Lapras, I choose you!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

A bright white light shot out of the ball and Lapras materialized from it.

Grover, alias Giovanni, grumbled to himself. _It's that Lapras again. It's the same one that foiled my plans for Silph last time. However, Tristan has made a foolish mistake._

"I'm counting on you, Lapras!" called Tristan. "Let's show Grover what you're made of!"

Lapras eagerly replied and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"I hope Lapras is made of something strong enough," said Hillary.

Grover smirked. "You never learn, do you? Nidoqueen, charge in with a Double Kick."

Nidoqueen charged at Lapras just as fast as it did with Blastoise.

"Lapras, Water Gun attack!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras shot a powerful stream of water at Nidoqueen, scoring a direct hit in the process. However, Nidoqueen didn't seem fazed at all again.

"Kick the water away, then strike!" instructed Grover.

Nidoqueen used its powerful legs and feet to kick the water away, then struck Lapras twice, giving it some damage.

"Hang in there, Lapras!" encouraged Tristan. "Hit it with Ice Beam!"

Lapras shot an icy cold beam of energy from its mouth at Nidoqueen, scoring a direct hit on it and freezing it solid.

"Yeah!" cheered Hillary. "Nidoqueen can't move now!"

"Ha!" laughed Grover. "I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."

Sure enough, the ice started to shatter, and soon, Nidoqueen was free.

"Oh, no!" gasped Tristan.

"Now, Thunder attack!" ordered Grover.

Once again, Nidoqueen shot a powerful stream of electricity from the horn on its head and struck Lapras head on, knocking it out.

"No, Lapras!" cried Tristan.

"Well, that takes care of things now, doesn't it?" smiled Grover.

"That's a shame," said Hillary sadly. "Lapras lost, too."

"Lapras, return!" called Tristan as he took out its Pokéball.

A red energy beam shot out and transformed Lapras into red energy as it shot back inside.

Tristan held Lapras's Pokéball close to him and said, "I'm sorry I blew it, Lapras. I guess my strategy was a bit off."

"Well, now what," asked Grover. "You're down to your last Pokémon already while I still have two. I suggest you give up before it's too late."

"No way, Grover," replied Tristan. "I'm a winner, not a quitter." He took out his third Pokéball and threw it. "Ivysaur, I choose you!"

The Pokéball opened and Ivysaur materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Okay, Ivysaur, it's all up to you now!" called Tristan.

Ivysaur replied eagerly, knowing that Tristan always counted on it to do its best.

"Tristan and Ivysaur are going to have to use every trick in the book if they want to win, and that's a tall order," said Hillary nervously.

Pikachu agreed with her.

"Interesting," said Grover. "A Grass-type. It can resist Electric attacks more easily than your last two Pokémon did. However, that doesn't mean you're winning. Nidoqueen, use your Double Kick attack."

Nidoqueen charged at Ivysaur at a high rate of speed.

"Ivysaur, use your Vine Whip to jump!" instructed Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

Just as Nidoqueen was about to land a hit on Ivysaur, it shot out two green vines from the bud on its back. The vines hit the ground with such force that Ivysaur became airborne.

"Wow, that's new!" said Hillary.

Pikachu happily agreed with her.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf attack!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur shot a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Nidoqueen in mid-air. The attack didn't seem to faze it at first, but one sharp leaf scored a direct hit on it, causing Nidoqueen to wince in pain for a minute.

 _Impossible!_ thought Grover. _How did that attack damage my Nidoqueen? The battles I had against Blastoise and Lapras may have worked out in my favor, but now I'm the one with the difficult challenge this time._

Ivysaur landed neatly on the ground and smiled confidently.

"Ivysuar, Vine Whip attack!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur shot its two vines at Nidoqueen.

"Nidoqueen, kick the vines and keep them at bay!" instructed Grover.

Nidoqueen used its strong legs and feet and successfully blocked Ivysaur's Vine Whip.

 _I have to think of something to keep Nidoqueen from moving,_ thought Tristan. Then he got an idea. "Ivysaur, Sleep Powder!" he shouted.

Ivysaur unleashed a silvery powder from the bud on its back.

"You can kick that powdery mess away, too, Nidoqueen," said Grover.

Nidoqueen tried as hard as it could, but its kicking power was useless against Ivysaur's Sleep Powder, as it began to cover it from head to toe. At last, the power of Nidoqueen's legs and feet began to weaken as it got drowsy.

"No, my Nidoqueen!" gasped Grover.

"Quick, Ivysaur, use your Leech Seed attack while Nidoqueen's defenseless!" shouted Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a flurry of seeds from the bud on its back at Nidoqueen. The seeds sprouted all over it and tangled it up. The sprouted vines and leaves began to shock Nidoqueen as it began to lose energy.

"Ivysaur's Leech Seed and Sleep Powder combo is tiring out Nidoqueen!" said Hillary excitedly.

Sure enough, Nidoqueen's movements were slowing down, and it was getting weaker at an incredible rate of speed. Pretty soon, its eyes closed and it fell fast asleep.

"This can't be!" exclaimed Grover.

"Okay, Ivysaur, finish it off with your Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur charged at Nidoqueen as fast as it could and rammed it hard, knocking it out, and as it did, the vines and leaves disappeared.

"All right, Ivysaur!" commended Tristan. "You really showed them what you can do!"

Ivysaur nodded approvingly at Tristan.

Grover returned Nidoqueen to its Pokéball. "That was creative, my young friend," he said to Tristan. "However, this time, you won't stand a chance." He took out his third Pokéball and threw it. "I choose Nidoking!"

The Pokéball opened and a large purple bipedal Pokémon materialized from the white light that shot out of it. It looked a lot like Nidoqueen, but it looked bigger with large spiny ears, spines down its back, and it had a larger venomous horn on the top of its forehead.

"First Nidoqueen, and now Nidoking!" gasped Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex again.

 _"Nidoking: The Drill Pokémon: The final evolution of the male Nidoran,"_ identified Dexter. _"Its steel-like hide adds to its powerful tackle. Its horns are so hard, they can pierce a diamond."_

"You've gotta be careful, Ivysaur, because Nidoking looks more powerful than Nidoqueen," advised Tristan.

Ivysaur nodded.

"Well, it appears that we've reached the final leg of our battle, young man," said Grover. "But let's see what you can do."

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle)_

"Let's go, Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Nidoking, but the attack bounceed right off its hard body.

"Come now," smiled Grover. "If that's the best attack you can come up with, then I've already won."

"Ivysaur, try a Vine Whip attack!" ordered Tristan.

Ivysaur shot its two green vines at Nidoking, but Nidoking caught them in its claws.

"Good, now reel Ivysaur in," instructed Grover.

Pulling hard, Nidoking used Ivysaur's Vine Whip to toss it into the air.

"Ivysaur, use Nidoking's power and do a Tackle attack!" shouted Tristan.

When Ivysaur was at its full height, Nidoking began to toss it toward the ground, but Ivysaur used Nidoking's momentum to ram into its hard body, causing it to let go of Ivysaur's vines.

"Interesting maneuver," smiled Grover. "However, you won't win. Because Nidoking's got an overwhelming advantage because it's bigger."

"Being bigger doesn't necessarily mean it's better," argued Tristan. "But what Ivysaur does have is heart, and we'll prove it. Ivysaur, Sleep Powder!"

Ivysaur began to spread a silvery powder from the bud on its back.

"We're not falling for that twice," smiled Grover. "Nidoking, Earthquake!"

Nidoking jumped off the ground and stomped on it hard using both of its feet, sending out big shock waves in the process.

Hillary and Pikachu desperately tried to keep their balance.

"Hang on to something, Pikachu!" cried Hillary.

Pikachu replied and tried to hang on to Hillary.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Ivysaur were trying their hardest to stay on their feet. "Ivysaur, use your Vine Whip to jump again!" commanded Tristan.

Ivysaur extended its two vines and they landed on the ground with enough force to lift it off the ground.

"I've got you now," smiled Grover. "Nidoking, Thunder attack!"

Nidoking's horn sizzled with electricity, and it shot a powerful yellow stream at Ivysaur, who was still in mid-air. The attack seemed to do more damage than normal.

"Ivysaur!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Normally, Electric attacks won't do much damage to Grass Pokémon," explained Grover, "but only if they diffuse the electricity into trees or the ground, for instance. They can't do that in mid-air. So when I lured your Ivysaur off the ground using Nidoking's Earthquake, that was the chance I'd been waiting for."

Ivysaur crashed into the ground from the damage it took from Nidoking's Thunder attack.

"Grover must have planned this from the beginning!" exclaimed Hillary. "He wanted Tristan to get Ivysaur off the ground!"

"Now that Ivysaur's back on the ground again, it's time to give it a good thrashing," said Grover. "Nidoking, Thrash attack!"

Nidoking charged at Ivysaur and used its hands and legs to repeatedly punch and kick Ivysaur all over the place.

Tristan could only watch helplessly as Ivysaur kept getting pummeled.

Nidoking delivered its hardest thrashing and sent Ivysaur crashing into the ground.

Tristan watch Ivysaur struggle to its feet.

 _We can't lose now,_ thought Tristan. _Not after all the training we did. Not after every one of my Pokémon gave us a fighting chance to get our last badge._

Ivysaur kept on struggling, but one of its legs started to give out, causing it to go further to the ground.

"It's over," said Grover. "It appears that you've lost."

"Ivysuar, stand up!" cried Tristan. "Try to get up!"

"Come on, Ivysaur!" cried Hillary from the sidelines.

"Pika Pika!" cried Pikachu.

Ivysaur kept trying to get back on its feet, despite all the damage it took. It knew that Tristan was counting on it to win, and it had no intention of letting him down.

"You can do it, Ivysaur!" yelled Tristan at the top of his lungs.

As Ivysaur kept struggling to its feet, it let out a loud cry and began to glow in a bright white light.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (Version 2) as heard in "Volcanic Panic")_

Everyone was surprised, especially Tristan.

Ivysaur kept growing and growing, and as it did, the bud on its back seemed to bloom. When the light dissipated, Ivysaur looked a lot bigger, and it now had a large flower on its back.

Tristan scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Venusaur: The Seed Pokémon: The evolved form of Ivysaur,"_ identified Dexter. _"The flower on its back absorbs sunlight which is then turned into energy."_

"Ha! You fool," laughed Grover. "That evolution means nothing. You can't win."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Grover, because now that Venusaur has gotten an energy boost, this is a whole new battle," replied Tristan. "All right, Venusaur, let's show them the real power of a Razor Leaf attack!"

Venusaur complied and fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Nidoking, but this time, they were much bigger, faster, and stronger.

The leaves came at Nidoking so fast that it couldn't do anything about it in time. Razor Leaf had scored a huge direct hit on Nidoking, giving it a lot of damage.

"This can't be happening!" gasped Grover. "I won't allow you to win this so easily. Nidoking, give Venusaur a good Thrash and end this!"

Nidoking charged at Venusaur, intending to finish it off.

"Venusaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur shot its two green vines, which were much bigger than they were before, and grabbed Nidoking, which was now in Venusaur's grip. Venusaur tossed Nidoking in the air and threw it towards the ground.

It was then that traces of sunlight began to be absorbed in Venusaur's flower, which began to glow in a white light.

"What's happening now?" asked Tristan.

"Tristan, it looks like Venusaur's getting ready for a big attack!" shouted Hillary.

Tristan quickly looked up the attack in his Pokédex.

 _"SolarBeam: The strongest Grass attack yet to be discovered,"_ said Dexter. _"Light is collected and formed into a powerful beam with great force."_

"That's just the attack we need," said Tristan. "Okay, Venusaur, get ready to use your SolarBeam!"

Venusaur complied and continued to absorb as much sunlight at a faster rate.

"Hurry, Nidoking, get it with Thunder attack!" cried Grover.

Nidoking shot another powerful yellow stream of electricity at Venusaur. However, Venusaur's SolarBeam was charged up and ready to go.

"Show them what you've got, Venusaur!" shouted Tristan. "SolarBeam attack now!"

Venusaur took aim at Nidoking's Thunder and fired a powerful white beam of solar energy directly at it. The two attacks collided, attempting to push each other back.

"Unbelievable!" gasped Hillary. "The two attacks are evenly matched!"

"Venusaur, maximum power!" yelled Tristan.

Venusaur strained and made its SolarBeam bigger, causing it to overpower Nidoking's Thunder attack. The overwhelming power of the attack scored a huge direct hit, much to Grover's shock.

Nidoking collapsed on the ground and fainted.

For a second, Tristan stood in awe of Venusaur's powerful SolarBeam, but it all turned to excitement and joy when he realized that he won the Gym battle. "We did it!" he cried as he ran to hug his Venusaur. "You were incredible."

Venusaur replied happily.

"Tristan really won!" said Hillary excitedly.

Pikachu cheered along with Hillary.

Grover returned Nidoking to his Pokéball and walked over to Tristan. "Impressive victory, young man," he said as he took out a badge that looked like a green leaf. "Here is your Earth Badge, proof of your victory here at the Viridian Gym."

Tristan took the badge from Grover and asked him, "Why did you want to battle me in the first place, Grover?"

"Because, young man," replied Grover, "I'm really..." He took off his disguise and revealed his true identity.

Tristan, Hillary and Pikachu all gasped in shock. "You're Giovanni!" they exclaimed.

"That's right, you fools, I'm the leader of Team Rocket," smiled Giovanni.

It was then that voices of anger came from outside.

"We know you're here, Giovanni!" shouted one .

"Yeah, your Gym is rigged!" added another.

"You knocked a Trainer and his cheerleaders unconscious last year!" yelled a third.

Tristan and Hillary turned to Giovanni suspiciously and became furious.

"So, when you battle and defeat challengers, you knock them out, too?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"No way!" gasped Hillary. "How could you?"

Giovanni smiled. "It appears that I've been found out." He then turned to Tristan and Hillary. "Enjoy this victory of yours while you still can...for it shall be your last."

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

He tossed a smoke bomb into the air, and it exploded, creating a thick black cloud of smoke. Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu covered their faces to shield themselves from the smoke.

All the people watched as the Viridian Gym got fully enveloped in it. They ran in terror to get away from the danger.

When the smoke cleared, Tristan and Hillary had noticed that Giovanni had gotten away once again, much to their frustration.

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

"That creep must be used to quick getaways," grumbled Hillary.

"But now we have to figure out what Giovanni is really after," replied Tristan, "and we don't have that much time. We have to remind every trainer that they could be in danger of losing their Pokémon to that demented madman!"

"But your badge!" reminded Hillary. "Take a look!"

Tristan had forgotten all about the green Earth Badge that Giovanni had given to him as Grover, but as soon as Hillary reminded him, he looked in his hand. Sure enough, the badge was his. He proudly raised it into the air and cried joyfully, "We did it! We finally got...an Earth Badge!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"You know what this means, right?" asked Hillary.

Tristan nodded. "Now I can finally compete in the Pokémon League Competition!"

"Exactly!" said Hillary. "But first, let's head on over to the Pokémon Center and rest up. We've got a long journey ahead of us to the Pokémon League."

"And a lot of training to do," added Tristan.

* * *

 _With Tristan's latest victory against an unlikely Gym Leader, he now claims his eighth and final badge thanks to his newly evolved Venusaur. Now he has earned the right to participate in the Pokémon League Competition. But could that be where Giovanni, the Team Rocket Leader, will strike next? And what is his master plan? Stay tuned as Tristan and Hillary's journey continues!_

* * *

Giovanni made his way to the Pokémon League Inspection Agency headquarters at the Indigo Plateau a few hours later. The bosses weren't at all happy to see him. They had heard everything.

"You have some nerve scaring trainers into unconsciousness like that!" scolded one.

"And letting your Gym fall apart the way it did last year!" added another.

"We know the truth!" put in a third.

"Your Gym has failed inspection twice," finished a fourth. "What do you plan to do?"

Giovanni thought for a minute. At last, he said to them, "I will be resigning as leader of the Viridian Gym effective immediately."

"Any particular reason for this immediate resignation?" asked the first boss. "Besides the fact that you can't handle being an effective Gym Leader?"

Giovanni smiled wickedly and said, "Since you four know the truth, I'm going to spend all of my time as the leader of Team Rocket. And the first place to start is your Pokémon, and now I shall take them!"

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

That was when a swarm of Team Rocket Grunts came in with vacuums on their backs with two hoses attached to them. They turned on the vacuums and began to suck up every Pokéball in sight.

The bosses were horrified as the Pokéballs came into Team Rocket's possession, one by one.

"Give back our Pokémon!" one of them demanded.

"No," replied Giovanni. "If you fools hadn't judged my Gym the way you had, none of this would have been necessary."

"Hold it right there!" demanded a voice.

A woman in a pink uniform and nurse's cap stepped forward and challenged Giovanni. Sure enough, it was Nurse Joy, the head of the Pokémon League Inspection Agency.

"Hmph!" grumbled Giovanni. "You can't stop me."

"We'll see about that," replied Nurse Joy as she threw a Pokéball. "Chansey, go!"

The Pokéball opened and Chansey materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Persian, teach it a lesson!" commanded Giovanni as he threw a Pokéball.

Persian materialized from the white light that shot out of it, and immediately used its sharp claws to deal major damage to Chansey, knocking it out instantly.

"Chansey!" cried Nurse Joy. She quickly rushed over to it. "Are you okay?"

"Now hand over that Chansey," demanded Giovanni.

"Giovanni!" shouted a voice.

A woman in blue police attire with four other people appeared and stepped forward with handcuffs in hand. It was Officer Jenny with four additional officers as backup.

"You're under arrest for Pokémon poaching and disorderly conduct," declared Officer Jenny as she threw a Pokéball. "Growlithe, Flamethrower!"

Growlithe materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and immediately shot a red-hot stream of fire from its mouth.

"Ha! I don't think so, cops!" replied Giovanni as he snapped his fingers.

On Giovanni's command, Persian dodged the Flamethrower and slashed at Growlithe, knocking it out, too.

"Growlithe!" gasped Officer Jenny.

Suddenly, the Rocket Grunts used a long rope and tied up every one of the members of the Inspection Agency, plus Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, and the four officers.

"We'd be happy to stay and chat, but you appear to be tied up," laughed Giovanni.

"Hey!" grunted Officer Jenny. "Come back here!"

But the Inspection Agents, Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, and her officers could only watch helplessly as Giovanni and the Rocket Grunts boarded their helicopter and took off into the sky.

"Now what do we do?" asked Nurse Joy. "Now everyone in the Kanto region is in danger..."

Giovanni's laugh could be heard from a loudspeaker as the helicopter disappeared into the distance.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	47. Chapter 47: FACE OFF, PART 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 47 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. The Trainer House from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal version games makes an appearance, but it also has a stadium just like the ones you see in the anime. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Blue challenges Tristan to a battle in a location that is known to Pokémon Trainers the world over...the Trainer House!**

 **Chapter 47: FACE OFF, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon"))_

 _After winning his eighth badge from the Viridian Gym Leader, Tristan, along with his friends, Hillary, and Pikachu, are finally getting ready for the Pokémon League Competition._

"I finally earned all eight badges, so now I can finally compete in the Pokémon League!" said Tristan excitedly as he and Hillary talked to their grandmother, Veronica, on the video phone in the Pokémon Center.

"That's wonderful, dear," smiled Veronica. "You should be very proud of yourself."

"I am," replied Tristan. "I have my Pokémon to thank for all their hard work."

Presently, Eric, Tristan and Hillary's grandfather, appeared next to Veronica. "Hi, kids!" he said.

"Grandpa!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"I just thought I'd let you know that your grandmother and I spoke with Professor Oak a little bit ago," explained Eric. "And he says that the Pokémon League Competition will take place at the Indigo Plateau."

"The Indigo Plateau?" repeated Tristan. "Where's that?"

"It's northwest of Viridian City," answered Eric. "You should be able to find it on the map."

Tristan took out his map from his backpack. Sure enough, the Indigo Plateau was on the top left corner. "Okay, I think we can get there," he said as he held his map close to the camera lens on top.

"That's lovely, dear," replied Veronica, "but don't you think you're holding the map a little too close? I'm afraid we can't see you now."

Tristan suddenly realized what he was doing. "Oops! Sorry." He folded the map and put it away in his backpack.

"They must be very excited," remarked Eric.

"Oh, I know they are, Eric," replied Veronica. "Well, we'll let you go, kids. Good luck!"

"We love you," added Eric.

"We love you, too," replied Tristan. "Goodbye, Grandma."

"Bye, Grandpa." added Hillary.

The video screen turned off and the transmission ended.

* * *

When Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu emerged from the Pokémon Center half an hour later, Tristan and Hillary were thinking about the upcoming Pokémon League Competition at the Indigo Plateau.

Hillary was most impressed at Tristan's skills as a Trainer so far. _It all paid off for Tristan,_ she thought. _Earning eight badges, plus having a fully-evolved team, besides Pikachu. I think Tristan has what it takes to be a real champ!_

However, Tristan was thinking of other things besides the Pokémon League. _Something's not adding up,_ he thought. _Why would Giovanni challenge me to a Gym Battle and then disappear after my latest victory? What's he really after? And why is he so interested in me?_

"Hey, Tristan?" said Hillary as she waved her hand in front of Tristan's eyes. "Earth to Tristan!"

Tristan immediately snapped out of his trance and looked Hillary in the eye. "Did you say something?"

"All right, spill it. What's wrong?" asked Hillary. She seemed quite concerned.

Pikachu felt concerned, too.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," lied Tristan.

"Come on, big bro, I know you," insisted Hillary. "You're not acting like yourself today. Something's on your mind and you don't want to tell me what."

Tristan let out a small chuckle. "You're right, sis. Nothing gets by you."

"Then tell me what's up," said Hillary.

"It's just that I'm worried about what Giovanni plans to do," replied Tristan. "Maybe he wants to steal the Pokémon from every trainer in this region."

"That may be something he wants to do," said Hillary. "But that doesn't mean he's really going to go through with it."

Tristan had his doubts, but he nodded. "I'll take your word for it." Then he thought to himself, _If only Mom and Dad were here journeying with Hillary and me. They'd be proud of my accomplishments as a Trainer. We'd have a whole lot of fun together as a family._

"Hey, Tristan!" called a voice.

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see a spiky-haired kid approaching him.

"Oh, no. Not Blue!" complained Hillary.

"Yup! It's me!" replied Blue. "What a surprise to see the both of you here!"

"What are you doing here, anyway?" asked Tristan suspiciously.

"I was just on my way to the Indigo Plateau," answered Blue. "Are you on your way there, too?"

"Yes," replied Tristan.

"Then how many badges do you have?" asked Blue. "I bet you don't have enough!"

Tristan opened up his vest and showed him his eight badges.

"Whoa, no way!" exclaimed Blue. "You got all the badges, too? That's cool!"

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan.

"I'd like to challenge you to a full battle!" declared Blue.

"What's a full battle?" asked Tristan.

"It's where two Trainers battle each other using six Pokémon," explained Blue.

"Six Pokémon?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Using six Pokémon can make battles extremely long," continued Blue, "but whichever Trainer knocks out all six of the opposing Trainer's Pokémon first wins the match."

"That sounds really long to me," remarked Hillary.

"I don't want to interrupt you, Blue," said Tristan, "but you may be in danger here. There's someone out there that's going to steal every Trainer's Pokémon in this region."

"Come on, Tristan, blah, blah, blah," replied Blue. He clearly wasn't interested in Tristan's warning. "So, are you going to battle me or not?"

Tristan thought about it, and he immediately smiled. "All right, Blue, I accept your challenge!" he said eagerly.

"I have a special place in store for our battle," said Blue. "Follow me." And he led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu through Viridian City to another location.

* * *

Everyone arrived at a big building a few minutes later. It looked brand new, much like the Viridian Gym.

"This is the Trainer House," explained Blue. "This is where the best Trainers gather from all over to compete against one another in Pokémon battles."

"That's awesome," remarked Hillary.

"The Trainer House also resembles a real stadium," continued Blue. "Even though no major events occur here, Trainers are welcome to challenge each other in there with as many or as few spectators as they want. It's also a convenient place to train because it's built near the Indigo Plateau, which is the final destination for most Trainers who are hoping to compete in the Pokémon League. It's free and open to the public in case they want to see some real good battles."

"I want to see a good battle!" said Hillary.

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Tristan. "Let's go inside!"

Everyone walked inside the building into a lobby.

"This is where trainers rest before their big battle," explained Blue. "And Trainers who win a battle here have automatic entry into the Champion League. They don't even have to enter the Pokémon League Competition if you don't have to."

"We don't?" asked Tristan.

"That's right," replied Blue. "And even if you don't have to, you still can if you want to, but I don't see what the whole point of it is other than to waste my time. So I'd say this is a perfect opportunity to see if my dream of being the Champion will finally come true."

Everyone walked over to the reception desk.

A female receptionist greeted them warmly. "How can I help you today?" she asked.

"I'd like to use the battlefield in the stadium," answered Blue. "I'm going to be battling Tristan in a full battle and beating the pants off of him."

"Showoff," whispered Tristan to himself.

"Very well," replied the receptionist. "How many Pokémon will you be using?"

"We'll both be using six," answered Blue.

"I'll just need to see your IDs using your Pokédexes," replied the receptionist.

Tristan and Blue handed her the Pokédexes.

She pushed a few buttons on the machine and handed them back to them. "You're all set," she said. "Follow me to the stadium." And she led everyone away from the lobby.

* * *

A few minutes later, they arrived at a battlefield. Surprisingly enough, it was packed with many spectators. There were benches near the battlefield where family and friends can watch the battles up close. There was also a giant board where there were six green lights and six red lights, signifying the number of Pokémon each Trainer had.

"Wow, it sure is loud here," remarked Tristan.

"I'm a little surprised by it myself," added Blue.

"Is that bench where I can sit?" asked Hillary, pointing to one of the benches.

"Yes, it is," replied the receptionist. Looks like we've got a full house today, so I hope you all enjoy this battle." And she left the stadium.

"This is just like what we'll be experiencing in the Pokémon League, Pikachu," said Tristan. "Let's show these guys what we can do."

Pikachu replied with enthusiasm.

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fowl Play!"))_

The crowd roared as they looked at Tristan and Blue taking their places on opposite sides of the field.

"Welcome, one and all to the Trainer House Stadium!" boomed an announcer's voice. "This is where you can see all kinds of battles between trainers from around the world! And we've got a place that's filled to capacity!"

The crowd cheered as they waited for the battle to begin.

"The air in the Trainer House Stadium is filled with excitement, so fasten your seat belts!" boomed the announcer. "This battle is about to begin!"

Hillary waited patiently on the bench as Tristan and Pikachu faced Blue on the battlefield.

"This battle will be between Tristan from New Bark Town and Blue from Pallet Town!" boomed the announcer. "Each Trainer will use six Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all six of one Trainer's Pokémon will be left unable to continue. In addition, both Trainers may make substitutions freely. This is a special battle, folks, because whoever emerges victorious here at the Trainer House Stadium will be able to enter the Champion League, where the victorious Trainers can challenge the Elite Four!"

 _That's going to make this even more difficult,_ thought Tristan. _There's no way I can easily predict what moves Blue will do. I have to emerge victorious here._

Presently, a referee came to the platform overlooking the battlefield. He had a red flag in his right hand and a green flag in his left hand. "This battle between Tristan from New Bark Town and Blue from Pallet Town will now begin!" he said.

"Exeggcute, I choose you!" shouted Blue as he threw his first Pokéball.

A Pokémon resembling six light pink eggs materialized from the white light that shot out of it. They each had a face, and five of the six eggs huddled around the sixth.

"I've never seen that Pokémon before," said Tristan as he scanned Exeggcute with his Pokédex.

 _"Exeggcute: The Egg Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"The heads attract each other and spin around. There must be six heads for it to maintain balance."_

"I know who I'm gonna choose," said Tristan as he took out his first Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeot, I choose you!"

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Let the battle begin!" announced the referee.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Pidgeot, start off with your Wing Attack now!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeot's wings glowed in a white light as it charged toward Exeggcute at a high rate of speed. Sure enough, Pidgeot scored a direct hit on Exeggcute, but Exeggcute didn't seem fazed one bit by the attack.

"Pidgeot starts out with a Wing Attack!" boomed the announcer, "but Exeggcute is back in the game!"

"Exeggcute, use Leech Seed!" yelled Blue.

Exeggcute fired a flurry of brown seeds at Pidgeot, and soon they sprouted and tangled it up.

"Pidgeot!" cried Tristan.

"Wow, talk about a turnaround!" boomed the announcer. "Exeggute's Leech Seed has scored a direct hit, causing problems for Pidgeot!"

Sure enough, the shock of the Leech Seed attack was draining Pidgeot of its energy at a rapid rate.

"Now use your PoisonPowder!" commanded Blue.

Exeggcute fired a purple cloud of powder at Pidgeot, who couldn't dodge it in time, and was fully enveloped in it.

"Exeggcute's PoisonPowder attack has poisoned Pidgeot!" boomed the announcer. "This battle is intense right from the start!"

"Tristan had better do something fast, or Pidgeot's a goner!" cried Hillary.

"Pidgeot, try to break yourself free!" shouted Tristan.

Pidgeot tried, but the thick vines and the shock of the Leech Seed combined with the PoisonPowder really gave it a hard time.

"Okay, Exeggcute, finish it off with SolarBeam!" ordered Blue.

Exeggcute absorbed light from the sun's rays as the eggs began to glow in a white light one by one.

"Aim and fire now!" yelled Blue.

Exxegcute fired a powerful white beam at a defenseless Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, return now!" commanded Tristan as he took out Pidgeot's Pokéball.

The Pokéball's center aimed a red beam of red energy at Pidgeot, transforming it into red energy as it shot back inside just as Exeggcute's SolarBeam attack was about to strike it head on.

The SolarBeam attack missed the target and dissipated, and the vines that tangled it disappeared.

"Phew!" said Hillary. "That was close."

"Just when he had the type advantage, Tristan was forced to call back his Pidgeot!" boomed the announcer. "Exeggcute is a very powerful Pokémon, indeed!"

Tristan put away Pidgeot's Pokéball and took out his second Pokéball. He threw it immediately. "Charizard, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

Charizard materialized from the white light that shot out of the Pokéball.

"Tristan's second Pokémon will be Charizard!" boomed the announcer. "Once again, that puts Tristan at a huge advantage when it comes to Pokémon type. But this match is just beginning to heat up, folks! Believe me!"

"Exeggcute, Stun Spore attack!" commanded Blue.

Exeggcute launched a golden powder at Charizard.

"Charizard, use your wings to blow the Stun Spore away!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard flapped its mighty wings and instantly made the Stun Spore disappear.

"Charizard's wings have created a big gust of wind, which neutralized the Stun Spore!" boomed the announcer.

"Charizard, Flamethrower attack!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard shot a red-hot stream of fire from its mouth, scoring a super-effective hit on Exeggcute.

"Charizard's Flamethrower attack strikes Exeggcute like a volcanic eruption!" boomed the announcer.

"Exeggcute!" cried Blue.

Exeggcute collapsed on the ground and fainted.

"Exeggcute is unable to battle...Charizard is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

The crowd roared in excitement at the announcement.

One of the red lights on the board turned off.

"Charizard's type advantage over Exeggcute gave it an easy win, scoring an early lead for Tristan!" boomed the announcer. "Charizard's Flamethrower has certainly helped make the action white-hot!"

"Yeah, go, Tristan!" cheered Hillary.

"Well, well," said Blue as he returned Exeggcute to its Pokéball. "I wasn't expecting you to have a Charizard, especially since I battled Charmeleon last time. However, it's time for my Cloyster to take over this time." He took out Cloyster's Pokéball and threw it.

 _(Music Cue: Chaos)_

Cloyster materialized from the white light that shot out of the Pokéball.

 _So, Cloyster's up next, huh?_ thought Tristan. _I may be at a disadvantage this time, but that doesn't mean I can't try attacking._

 _I know you want to challenge yourself, Tristan,_ thought Hillary. _But maybe you should think about switching Pokémon. That Cloyster looks more powerful than it did last time, especially since it has the advantage._

"Go!" shouted the referee.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower attack!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard shot another hot stream of fire from its mouth at Cloyster.

"Ha!" laughed Blue. "You'll never learn. Cloyster, Withdraw!"

Cloyster immediately closed its shell, causing the Flamethrower attack to get cancelled out.

"Keep going with that Flamethrower, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard continued to use its Flamethrower attack to try and make progress on Cloyster, but Cloyster's hard shell prevented it from making contact.

"Cloyster's rock-hard shell is doing the job. Charizard's Flamethrower is causing no damage at all!" boomed the announcer.

"All right, Charizard, we'll have to try something else...use your Slash attack!" yelled Tristan.

Charizard charged at Cloyster using its sharp claws to attack Cloyster with.

"Charizard flies at Cloyster at a great rate of speed!" remarked the announcer.

"Gotcha!" said Blue. "Cloyster, Clamp attack!"

Cloyster opened up its hard shell and used it to clamp tightly on Charizard's scaly neck.

"Charizard!" cried Tristan.

"Cloyster, finish it up with Aurora Beam!" commanded Blue.

Cloyster shot a close-range rainbow-colored beam from the barb-like spike on the top of its head and scored a huge hit.

"Whoa, that had to hurt!" boomed the announcer. "Charizard got caught up in Cloyster's Clamp attack and got pummeled by that close range Aurora Beam!" boomed the announcer.

"Hang on, Charizard!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard tried to hang on, but the combined Clamp and Aurora Beam attacks were too much for it to take. It fell backwards and fainted.

"Charizard is unable to battle...Cloyster is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

"That's a shame," said Hillary sadly. "Charizard lost."

The crowd roared in excitement again as a green light turned off. The spectators were clearly enjoying the battle.

"Cloyster acted as a giant mousetrap waiting for its prey!" boomed the announcer. "Cloyster's victory over Charizard has tied up this match one to one!"

Tristan returned Charizard to its Pokéball and held it close. "I'm sorry, Charizard," he said. "I should have known Cloyster would do a Clamp attack." For some reason he could sense that Charizard was forgiving him. Even though it lost, it knew that as long as Tristan was a good trainer, he would it and his other Pokémon's well-being ahead of his own.

"What will Tristan's next Pokémon be?" boomed the announcer.

Tristan took out his next Pokéball and threw it. "Venusaur, I choose you!" he shouted.

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"So, Venusaur's evolved, too," said Blue. "I thought as much. Okay, Cloyster, let's get in there with a Clamp attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Tunnel Vision"))_

Cloyster charged at Venusaur, intending to clamp on it hard.

"Battle back with your Razor Leaf attack, Venusaur!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Cloyster, catching it by surprise.

"Talk about great power!" boomed the announcer. "Venusaur's Razor Leaf attack sideswipes Cloyster!"

"Okay, a minor setback, but let's see how you handle this!" said Blue. "Cloyster, Supersonic attack!"

Cloyster emitted ultra-sonic blue waves from its shell, making Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu cover their ears. Venusaur couldn't cover its ears because it was on four legs.

"Cloyster's Supersonic attack is loud!" boomed the announcer. "I don't think this place will quiet down anytime soon!"

"Venusaur, we've gotta beat 'em, so use your Vine Whip attack!" bellowed Tristan.

Venusaur shot two powerful vines from the flower on its back.

"Clamp 'em, Cloyster!" commanded Blue.

With precision timing, Cloyster clamped down hard on Venusaur's vines.

"Now reel it in!" yelled Blue.

Cloyster reeled Venusaur in as Blue prepared to make his next move.

But Tristan knew what to do. "Venusaur, use Cloyster's power to give it a Tackle attack!"

Using the momentum of being reeled in, Venusaur charged at Cloyster at tremendous speed and rammed it hard, giving it major damage.

"Venusaur turned Cloyster's Clamp attack into its own advantage by using a Tackle attack!" boomed the announcer.

"Yeah, that's the way!" cheered Hillary.

"Okay, Venusaur, time for Leech Seed!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur fired multiple seeds from the flower on its back. They surrounded Cloyster and sprouted, growing vines. The vines tangled up Cloyster as they began to shock it.

"Oh, no!" cried Blue.

"Venusaur's Leech Seed is beginning to drain all the energy out of Cloyster!" boomed the announcer.

"This is our chance, Venusaur, use your SolarBeam attack!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur's flower began to glow in a white light as it began to absorb sunlight.

"SolarBeam may take awhile, but we can't take any more chances," said Blue. "Cloyster, finish it up with Aurora Beam!"

Cloyster fired a cold rainbow-colored beam from the spike above its head at Venusaur just as Venusaur's SolarBeam was fully charged.

"Venusaur, SolarBeam now!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur fired a powerful white beam at the Aurora Beam.

The two attacks had collided, creating a big explosion that enveloped the entire battlefield.

The force of the explosion knocked both Pokémon back, but it was hard to tell because the smoke was so thick.

When the smoke cleared, it was apparent that Venusaur had collapsed to the ground, but Cloyster managed to hang in there.

"Venusaur is unable to battle...Cloyster is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

The crowd cheered as the announcement was made.

Tristan and Hillary were shocked.

"The collision of SolarBeam and Aurora Beam created explosive results!" boomed the announcer. "However, the brunt of the explosion seemed to be closest to Venusaur, causing it to get blown out of the match!"

"Venusaur, return!" called Tristan as a beam of red energy shot from Venusaur's Pokéball and turned it into red energy, which shot back inside it. Tristan held the Pokéball close to him and said, "You were great, Venusaur. Take a nice, long rest."

"Now we wait for Tristan's choice for his next Pokémon!" boomed the announcer.

Tristan turned to Pikachu who stood right next to him. "All right, pal, are you ready to go?"

Pikachu nodded and jumped onto the battlefield, ready to face Cloyster in battle.

"Tristan's fourth Pokémon will be Pikachu!" boomed the announcer.

"Pikachu's got the advantage this time," remarked Hillary. "It may be small, but it can sure pack a powerful shock."

"Go!" shouted the referee.

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Shell Shock"))_

""Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its body at Cloyster.

"Cloyster, use Withdraw now!" commanded Blue.

Cloyster immediately closed its shell, nullifying the damage Thunderbolt would have done.

But Tristan was quite unconcerned. _I know Cloyster has taken a lot of damage from its battles with Charizard and Venusaur, and I'm sure Cloyster can't last much longer anyway,_ he thought. _So let's finish this._ "All right Pikachu, show Cloyster a Thunder attack!" he shouted.

"Pikaaaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a bigger yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its body at Cloyster. Just as Tristan figured, it scored a direct hit.

"Oh, no!" cried Blue.

"Smart move!" said Hillary. "Tristan must have known that Cloyster would lose its strength after taking enough hits from multiple attacks!"

Cloyster opened its shell and collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

"Cloyster is unable to battle...Pikachu is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag to the sound of the roaring crowd.

"Despite Cloyster's hard shell protecting it from one attack after another, Tristan found a way to make use of the type advantage Pikachu had to tie this match up yet again!" explained the announcer. "What will Blue choose as his third Pokémon?"

Blue returned Cloyster to its Pokéball and put it away. "You may have gotten a lucky shot against Cloyster," he said as he took out his third Pokéball. "But let's see how you handle this! Sandslash, go!" He threw the Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

Sandslash materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Blue's third Pokémon will be Sandslash!" boomed the announcer.

 _Sandslash,_ thought Tristan. _Just great._

"Come on, Tristan, I know you can do it!" cheered Hillary.

"Go!" shouted the referee.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt attack now!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as a yellow bolt of electricity shot out at Sandslash.

"Just stand there, Sandslash," said Blue.

Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack struck Sandslash directly.

"Yeah, nice work, Pikachu!" said Tristan.

However Sandslash seemed unfazed by the attack.

"Pikachu's Thunderbolt may be hitting Sandslash, but the attack has zero effect!" boomed the announcer.

"What?" gasped Tristan.

"Sandslash is a Ground-type, Tristan!" shouted Hillary. "Electric attacks won't work!"

"That's some sisterly advice," said Blue. "I guess you'll have to learn the hard way. Okay, Sandslash, Poison Sting!"

Sandslash spun like a wheel and fired poisonous darts from the quills on its back and aimed them straight at Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu was in big trouble.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan and Blue continue to launch one powerful attack after another as they battle it out in the Trainer House Stadium to see who will gain entry into the Champion League. But will Tristan's team be powerful enough for him to emerge victorious? Stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	48. Chapter 48: FACE OFF, PART 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 48 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Blue makes one more appearance in this chapter as he continues to battle Tristan's Pokémon. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Blue's battle has reached an electrifying climax! Who will come out on top when Pikachu faces off against Blue's Jolteon?**

 **Chapter 48: FACE OFF, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis"))_

 _Last time, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were all preparing to hit the road to the Indigo Plateau, site of the Pokémon League competition when who should appear but Tristan's rival, Blue. Blue challenged Tristan to a full six-on-six battle, and he agreed, but this time, they were to battle before a huge crowd inside the Trainer House Stadium in Viridian City where winning Trainers will receive automatic entry into the Champion League where the Elite Four await any victorious Trainers. Tristan started things off with his Pidgeot while Blue led off with his newest Pokémon, Exeggcute. Exeggcute's Leech Seed and PoisonPowder turned into a dangerous threat for Pidgeot, and so Tristan was forced to recall it. But he didn't let that stop him from using Charizard, who won the first round with relative ease. However, Blue's second Pokémon, Cloyster defeated not only Tristan's Charizard, but his Venusaur as well. Luckily, Pikachu was standing by. It immediately got into the battle and finished Cloyster off with a powerful Thunder attack. Right now, Pikachu is locked in battle against Blue's Sandslash, who is not only immune to Electric attacks, but is full of powerful attacks as it launches a Poison Sting attack directly at it. Will Tristan_ find _a way to mount a comeback and enter the Champion League? Or will he have to stick with his original plan? This battle is just beginning, so stay tuned!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Sandslash's Poison Sting attack was still being fired directly at Pikachu.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" shouted Tristan .

Pikachu jumped over Sandslash's Poison Sting attack.

"How pathetic," said Blue. "I was just using Sandslash's Poison Sting as a distraction so I could do this..."Sandslash, Slash attack!"

Sandslash jumped into the air and used its sharp claws to strike Pikachu, giving it major damage and causing it to hit the ground hard. The ensuing crash caused a cloud of dust to form.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Sandslash's Slash attack hits hard!" boomed the announcer.

When the dust cleared, Pikachu had struggled to its feet.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" called Tristan.

Pikachu strained and nodded.

"Tristan, Pikachu's at a huge disadvantage! Maybe you should switch Pokémon!" advised Hillary.

 _She's right,_ thought Tristan. _Pikachu's Electric attacks aren't working on Sandslash._ "Pikachu, return!" called Tristan.

Pikachu came back to Tristan to rest up for later on in the battle as Tristan gently stroked it.

"All right, Blue, it's time for a surprise," said Tristan as he threw his next Pokéball and threw it. "Lapras, I choose you!"

Lapras materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Tristan has substituted his Pikachu for his Lapras!" boomed the announcer.

"So, a Lapras, huh?" said Blue. "It figures you'd try and make things right with a Water-type. Okay, Sandslash, Swift attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Sandslash spun around again, but this time powerful bright stars came out from the quills on its back.

Lapras got battered by the stars one by one.

"Don't take that, Lapras, fight back with your Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Despite being battered by Sandslash's Swift attack, Lapras shot a powerful stream of water at Sandslash and scored a direct hit.

"Lapras's Water Gun hits its mark!" boomed the announcer.

"Keep it up, Lapras, you're doing great!" commended Tristan.

Lapras continued to soak Sandslash to the bone with its Water Gun.

Blue began to get more and more frustrated.

"Lapras's Water Gun is really making a dent in Sandslash's stamina," remarked Hillary. "If Tristan keeps this up, he may be able to turn this match around."

"We're not done!" shouted Blue. "Okay, Sandslash, jump and use your Slash attack!"

Sandslash jumped over the water and used its sharp claws to strike Lapras hard.

"Lapras!" exclaimed Tristan.

Pikachu exclaimed, too.

"Lapras gets struck by Sandslash's Slash attack!" boomed the announcer.

"Follow that up with Fury Swipes!" instructed Blue.

Sandslash used its sharp claws to score multiple direct hits on Lapras repeatedly. Sandslash's arms were like a cyclone spinning round and round.

"Sandslash's Fury Swipes attack has left Lapras at a standstill!" boomed the announcer. "Is there a way out of this mess?"

"Okay, Lapras, it's our turn to jump now," said Tristan. "Give Sandslash a Body Slam!"

Lapras jumped off the ground as high as it could, much to everyone's shock. Sure enough, the massive weight of Lapras came down on Sandslash hard, giving it heavy damage.

"Incredible!" boomed the announcer. "Lapras's impressive jumping ability has helped score a huge direct hit with Body Slam!"

"Sandslash!" cried Blue.

Sandslash had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Sandslash is unable to battle...Lapras is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag in the air.

The crowd exploded in cheers.

"Despite Lapras taking on a few attacks from Sandslash, it still managed to come out on top!" boomed the announcer. "And now, Blue has three Pokémon remaining!"

Blue returned Sandslash to its Pokéball. "Well, it seems that your Lapras has gotten stronger, but we'll see how you handle this!" said Blue as he took out his fourth Pokéball and threw it. "Ninetales, I choose you!"

Ninetales emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had golden white fur and nine tails, just like its name said.

"Blue's fourth Pokémon is a Ninetales!" boomed the announcer.

"That must mean that his Vulpix evolved," said Hillary nervously.

"Begin!" shouted the referee.

"Lapras, Water Gun attack!" commanded Tristan.

Lapras prepared to fire another powerful stream of water in Ninetales's direction.

"Go, Ninetales, Roar!" instructed Blue.

Ninetales emitted an ear-splitting shriek at Lapras, causing everyone in the stadium to cover their ears.

Lapras suddenly transformed into red energy and shot back in one of Tristan's Pokéballs.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

But just then, a white light emerged from Tristan's pocket, and Pidgeot materialized from it, taking Lapras's place. It looked very tired and was still feeling the effects of Exeggcute's PoisonPowder.

"How did Pidgeot get out of Tristan's Pokéball on its own?!" gasped Hillary.

"Talk about a turn of events!" boomed the announcer. "Ninetales's Roar sent Lapras back to its Pokéball and made Pidgeot take its place! However, Pidgeot appears to be exhausted from its eggs-tremely difficult battle with Exeggcute!"

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Blue. "That was funny!"

"No, Blue, that wasn't funny!" protested Tristan. "Pidgeot's exhausted!"

"I know," replied Blue. "I should do this more often."

"Pidgeot, Quick Attack!" commanded Tristan.

Pidgeot sped toward Ninetales with a white line trailing behind it.

"Ninetales, Quick Attack, too!" yelled Blue.

Ninetales charged at a speeding Pidgeot. The two Quick Attacks collided with neither Pokémon giving an inch.

"Despite what happened in its battle with Exeggcute, Pidgeot holds its own against Ninetales!" boomed the announcer. "But will it have enough power to win?"

Suddenly, Pidgeot began to feel the effects of the poison, causing it to weaken even further.

"Uh-oh!" gasped Hillary.

That was the chance Blue had been waiting for. "Ninetales, Ember attack!" he ordered.

Ninetales shot multiple little orange balls of fire from its mouth at Pidgeot, giving it some real damage.

Pidgeot would have been able to withstand the attack easily had it not been for the poison, plus the additional damage it had to endure, but instead it was pushed back.

"Ninetales hits hard with Ember!" boomed the announcer.

"Pidgeot, no!" cried Tristan.

Pidgeot collapsed on the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.

"Pidgeot is unable to battle...Ninetales is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag to a roaring crowd.

"Despite its strong will, Pidgeot's battle with Exeggcute was the contributing factor to its untimely defeat!" boomed the announcer. "And now, both Trainers have three Pokémon remaining!"

Tristan returned Pidgeot to its Pokéball and held it close to him. "You did your best, Pidgeot, and I'm very proud of you," he said, and he put his Pokéball back in his pocket. He was confused as to why Blue chose to battle his already weakened Pidgeot when he could have fought hard to beat his Lapras. He was beginning to get suspicious. "Why did you do that, Blue?" he asked him.

"I just thought I'd try and win by battling a weakened Pokémon," answered Blue.

"What a coward!" said Hillary disgustedly. "Blue just wanted to battle Pidgeot so he could score an easy victory instead of flexing his muscles and fighting like a man!"

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Blue," scolded Tristan. "I never thought you would take such a cheap shot at my Pokémon."

"It was fair," smiled Blue. "You just don't realize that's part of my strategy."

"Well, strategy or not, I'm going to make sure you lose after pulling that little stunt!" said Tristan as he threw his next Pokéball. "Blastoise, I choose you!"

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked strong and ready for action.

"Tristan's sixth Pokémon is Blastoise!" boomed the announcer.

"Yeah, that should get Tristan back in the game!" said Hillary.

"Begin!" shouted the referee.

"Ninetales, Quick Attack now!" commanded Blue.

 _(Music Cue: Battle! Kanto Trainer Battle (version 2 (as heard in "Entei at Your Own Risk")))_

Ninetales sped off toward Blastoise with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully rammed into Blastoise, but Blastoise's weight bounced it backward.

"Whoa, using straightforward attacks on Blastoise only end up hurting my Pokémon!" grunted Blue.

"Blastoise, use your Ice Beam attack on the field!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise shot an ice-cold beam of energy from its mouth and turned the whole battlefield into a sheet of ice, leaving Ninetales with nowhere to go safely.

"Tristan keeps his cool and uses Ice Beam to freeze the battlefield!" boomed the announcer.

"Ninetales, can you do a Quick Attack?" asked Blue nervously.

Ninetales tried, but its paws slipped on the smooth, icy surface, and it fell down to the ground hard on its side.

"Uh-oh, could Ninetales have lost its balance?" boomed the announcer.

"Now that was cold," remarked Hillary.

"Ninetales, use your Ember attack to try and melt the ice!" shouted Blue.

Ninetales fired multiple fireballs from its mouth and aimed them all over the field, but all it accomplished was creating a thick fog.

"Would you look at that!" remarked the announcer. "Trying to warm up that ice-cold battlefield with an Ember attack was all it took to make steam as thick as split pea soup!"

"Oh, no, now I can't see anything, said Blue worriedly as he frantically looked for Ninetales and Blastoise.

"Hydro Pump!" ordered Tristan.

Blue gasped in shock as two powerful blasts of water came out of the fog and struck Ninetales directly, sending it backward. "Ninetales!" he cried.

Ninetales collapsed on the ground, knocked out from taking that big blast of water.

"Ninetales is unable to battle...Blastoise is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag to a roaring crowd.

"Blastoise found the perfect opportunity to attack just as Ninetales was blinded by that thick fog!" boomed the announcer. "Blue has two Pokémon left!"

Blue returned Ninetales to its Pokéball. "Well, well," he said. "So your Blastoise is a lot stronger than I first thought." He took out his fifth Pokéball and threw it. "Kadabra, let's go!"

Kadabra emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had a star on its forehead, plus one spoon in its right hand, and a tail.

"Blue's fifth Pokémon is a Kadabra!" boomed the announcer.

"So, a Psychic-type this time," said Hillary. "I wonder what attacks Kadabra knows this time."

"Kadabra, use Psychic attack!" commanded Blue.

Kadabra's eyes glowed bright red as did Blastoise's outline. Kadabra's powerful Psychic attack was lifting Blastoise into the air.

"Blastoise seems to be having some trouble with Psychic!" boomed the announcer.

When Blastoise was high in the air, Blue commanded, "Go, Kadabra, toss it down!"

Kadabra's eyes stopped glowing and Blastoise was falling fast.

"Blastoise, use your Hydro Pump and aim it towards the ground!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise fired two blasts of water from its cannons at the ground. Sure enough, the force of the attack was strong enough for Blastoise to land perfectly on its feet.

"What?!" exclaimed Blue.

"Blastoise's Hydro Pump has negated any damage from Psychic, causing it to make a safe landing!" boomed the announcer.

"Fine, then use your Psybeam!" shouted Blue.

"Blastoise, Ice Beam!" commanded Tristan.

Kadabra fired a mysterious colored beam from its hands while Blastoise fired an ice-cold beam of energy from its mouth. The two attacks collided with neither side giving an inch.

"Both beams have collided, but which one will come out on top?!" boomed the announcer.

"Blastoise, maximum power!" yelled Tristan.

Blastoise increased the power of its Ice Beam attack and successfully pushed Kadabra's Psybeam back as it scored a direct hit, freezing it solid.

"Blastoise, use Skull Bash now!" shouted Tristan.

Blastoise's head glowed in a silver aura, and it rammed into a frozen Kadabra, knocking it out cold.

"Kadabra is unable to battle...Blastoise is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag to a cheering crowd.

"Blastoise's Skull Bash has put an end to Kadabra's battling for the day!" boomed the announcer. "Now Blue has only one Pokémon left. The question is: what will that last Pokémon be?"

"I've got a bad feeling about Blue's last choice," said Hillary nervously.

Blue returned Kadabra to its Pokéball. "So, you've trained your Pokémon very well, much better than I thought," he remarked, "but this time, no mercy." He took out his last Pokéball and threw it. "Jolteon, go!"

Jolteon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball It looked like an evolved version of Eevee, but its yellow body had spikes all over.

"Blue's last Pokémon is Jolteon!" boomed the announcer.

"I knew it," said Hillary. "Blastoise and Lapras are both Water-types, and they're weak against Electric attacks, plus Pikachu is exhausted. I just hope Tristan can turn this around."

"All right, Tristan, I was just playing with you," said Blue, "but playtime's over...Jolteon, Thunder!"

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken!)_

Jolteon began charging up electricity in its whole body.

The entire stadium began shaking violently.

"Jolteon's electricity is shaking up the entire stadium!" boomed the announcer.

Jolteon immediately shot a powerful yellow bolt of lightning at Blastoise and struck it full force, giving it major damage.

"Blastoise!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Jolteon's Thunder attack scores a direct hit, causing problems for Blastoise!" boomed the announcer.

"And that's just the beginning," said Blue. "Now it's time to turn up the heat!"

Jolteon turned up the power of its Thunder attack, causing Blastoise to take even more damage than when it first got hit.

"Jolteon shows no mercy as it continues to strike Blastoise with its Thunder attack!" boomed the announcer. "Is there any way Blastoise can escape Jolteon's onslaught?"

"This is bad!" said Hillary. "Tristan's gotta do something or Blastoise is through!"

"Quick, Blastoise, use Dig and get away from Jolteon!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise somehow shook itself free of Jolteon's Thunder attack and quickly dug its way underground.

"Unbelievable!" boomed the announcer. "Blastoise somehow managed to find enough willpower to escape Jolteon's attack, and now it's disappeared!"

Blue grumbled in frustration.

"What's the matter, Blue?" taunted Tristan. "Are you annoyed because Blastoise is powerful, or have you not realized that you haven't been the only one training his Pokémon?"

"Careful, Tristan," said Hillary to herself. "You haven't won this battle yet."

"What will Blue do?" boomed the announcer. "Jolteon has no idea where Blastoise's attack will come from!"

"Now, Blastoise!" shouted Tristan.

Suddenly, Blastoise appeared from out of the ground and struck Jolteon head on, giving it serious damage.

"Jolteon!" gasped Blue.

"What a shocker!" boomed the announcer. "Jolteon was taken by surprise by Blastoise's excellent digging skills, and now this battle is anything but over!"

"Blastoise, go underground again!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise immediately dug its way underground and got ready for its next attack.

"Blastoise has disappeared once again!" boomed the announcer.

"Okay, Tristan, we're not falling for that little trick again!" seethed Blue. "Jolteon use Thunder in the hole Blastoise dug in!"

Jolteon charged up its electricity in its body and shot a pulverizing blast of it into the newest hole.

"Blastoise, you've gotta get out of there, fast!" cried Tristan.

The ground cracked under the pulverizing pressure of Jolteon's Thunder attack as the blast continued to follow its way to Blastoise. Unfortunately, Blastoise was too late, for it emerged from underground as it got hit with a devastating blow.

"Blastoise, no!" yelled Tristan.

The attack continued on, and then it finally stopped after what seemed like forever. Blastoise looked like it was standing still, but in its eyes, it knew somehow that it had lost, so it fell forward to the ground, knocked out.

"Blastoise is unable to battle...Jolteon is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air to a roaring crowd.

"Despite Blastoise scoring a direct hit, Jolteon's Thunder attack proves too much in the end!" boomed the announcer. "Tristan has two Pokémon left!"

Tristan returned Blastoise to its Pokéball and held it close to him. "Thanks a lot, Blastoise," he said. "You'll be okay real soon." He put Blastoise's Pokéball away, took out Lapras's Pokéball, and threw it. "Lapras, come on out!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle)_

Lapras materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Lapras is back for a repeat performance!" boomed the announcer.

"Begin!" shouted the referee.

"Jolteon, Pin Missile attack!" commanded Blue.

Jolteon's hair turned into sharp needles and it shot a barrage of them in Lapras's direction.

"Jolteon starts out with a Pin Missile!" boomed the announcer.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras shot an ice-cold beam of energy at Jolteon's Pin Missile, cancelling it out.

"Now, Body Slam!" shouted Tristan.

Lapras jumped high into the air and landed on Jolteon; however, Jolteon's spiky hair caused Lapras to get off of Jolteon as it winced in pain.

"Lapras!" cried Tristan.

"That was smart...not!" said Blue.

"Whoa, now that was painful!" boomed the announcer. "Lapras thought that it would be safe from Pin Missle, but didn't count on Jolteon's spikes doing some damage anyway!"

"Now what'll Tristan do?" said Hillary nervously. "If Lapras doesn't get in a hit without taking damage, he'll never beat Blue!"

"Lapras, try your Ice Beam attack again now!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras fired another ice-cold beam of energy at Jolteon.

"Dodge it!" instructed Blue.

Jolteon jumped into the air and successfully avoided Lapras's Ice Beam.

"Lapras's Ice Beam may be cold, but Jolteon's making it even colder for Tristan's chances of victory!" boomed the announcer.

"Okay, Jolteon, let's not draw this out any longer, so use Thunder," said Blue.

Jolteon charged up its electricity in its body, causing the stadium to shake again. Then it released another pulverizing blast of it at Lapras.

"Lapras, get out of there!" yelled Tristan.

But it was too late, for Jolteon's Thunder attack had scored a huge direct hit, giving Lapras serious damage.

"Jolteon's Thunder attack hits and hits hard!" boomed the announcer. "This could be the end for Lapras!"

"This can't be..." said Tristan. He could only watch helplessly as Lapras kept taking the brunt of Jolteon's Thunder attack.

"Turn up the power, Jolteon!" said Blue.

Jolteon increased the power of its Thunder attack, giving Lapras even more damage.

For a while, Lapras just stood there as if nothing happened, but afterwards, it collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

"Lapras is unable to battle...Jolteon is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in the air to the cheering crowd.

"Like Blastoise, Lapras suffered from Jolteon's pulverizing Thunder attack!" boomed the announcer.

Tristan returned Lapras to its Pokéball and held it close to him. "Thanks a lot, Lapras," he said. "I'm very proud of you." He then put his Pokéball away and turned to Pikachu. "Well, it's you and me. Are you ready, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded and ran onto the battlefield to face Jolteon.

"Tristan brings Pikachu back into battle for a repeat performance!" boomed the announcer. "Has it recharged its batteries enough to face Jolteon after facing off against Cloyster and Sandslash?"

"This is not looking hopeful," said Hillary nervously. "Pikachu's taken on a lot of damage already and the odds are not in Tristan's favor."

"Go!" shouted the referee.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" ordered Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a powerful yellow bolt of electricity shot out from its body at Jolteon and struck it, but Jolteon just stood there unfazed by the attack.

"Pikachu begins with a Thunderbolt, but Jolteon doesn't seem to feel the shock!" boomed the announcer.

 _That's right,_ thought Tristan. _Jolteon's an Electric-type, too, which means Pikachu's Electric attacks aren't going to help very much. I've gotta think of something else, but what?_

"Okay, Jolteon, give Pikachu your Thunder attack!" instructed Blue.

Jolteon charged up the electricity in its body and shot a powerful bolt of it at Pikachu and struck it. Unfortunately for Pikachu, Jolteon's Thunder attack was more powerful than both it and Tristan realized.

"Pikachu may be an Electric-type, but it seems to be taking some damage from Jolteon's powerful Thunder attack!" boomed the announcer.

"Pikachu, use your Agility!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu ran toward Jolteon, moving from side to side. All the while, it briefly disappeared from one side and reappeared on the other.

"Two can play at that game," said Blue. "You heard what Tristan said...use your Agility, too."

Jolteon ran toward Pikachu, doing the same things as Pikachu did.

"Jolteon is matching Pikachu's Agility move for move!" boomed the announcer. "These two Pokémon are really going at it!"

"Now, Jolteon, use Thunder!" commanded Blue.

Jolteon shot another powerful bolt of electricity at Pikachu, who seemed to take the hit.

"Pikachu, use your Thunder attack, too!" shouted Tristan.

"Pikaaaaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as it shot a powerful yellow bolt of electricity of its own at Jolteon and struck it.

"Pikachu and Jolteon strike each other with Thunder!" boomed the announcer. "I've gotta tell you, folks, these two Pokémon have their pride on the line!"

"Jolteon, Pin Missile attack!" commanded Blue.

Jolteon's shot a flurry of needles from the spikes on its body.

"Pikachu, dodge with Double Team!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu quickly made illusory copies of itself, successfully avoiding Jolteon's Pin Missile.

"Shoot 'em all down with Thunder, Jolteon!" instructed Blue.

Jolteon charged up more electricity in its body and fired a flurry of powerful yellow bolts at the copies, making them all disappear. Sure enough, the real Pikachu was found, and it was struck hard.

"Pikachu is struck once again by Thunder!" boomed the announcer. "How much more punishment can Pikachu take?"

"Let's finish this once and for all!" said Blue. "Jolteon, use Thunder at maximum power!"

Jolteon charged up the last of its electricity in its body and shot it at full power at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Thunder attack with everything you've got!" shouted Tristan.

"Pikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as it shot a powerful bolt of electricity at Jolteon's Thunder.

The two attacks collided, creating an explosion so powerful that it knocked both Pikachu and Jolteon back.

Both Tristan and Blue covered their faces so the smoke wouldn't get into their eyes.

When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon were still standing, but panting heavily as they tried to catch their breath.

However, Pikachu's legs were very wobbly, and it collapsed on the ground, much to Tristan and Hillary's shock.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

Pikachu lay motionless on the ground. The explosion from the two Thunder attacks had knocked it out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle...Jolteon is the winner!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag in Blue's direction. "The victory goes to Blue from Pallet Town!"

The crowd exploded into cheers as Tristan's picture disappeared from the board and the word CONGRATULATIONS! appeared with Blue's picture still on it.

"He does it!" boomed the announcer. "After a fierce full battle, Blue and Jolteon have clinched the match here in the Trainer House Stadium! Blue will now proceed to the Champion League!"

 _(Music Cue: Tears After the Cloudy Weather)_

Tristan quickly rushed to Pikachu, who still lay on the battlefield. "Pikachu, are you okay?" he asked as he carefully picked it up. "Please say something."

Pikachu slowly opened its eyes and gave a weak reply to Tristan.

Tristan gently cradled Pikachu in his arms as tears began to come out of Tristan's eyes. "You did your very best, Pikachu, and for that, I thank you."

Pikachu smiled and gave a tired, but happy, reply.

"Yeah!" gloated Blue as he jumped up and down. "I finally beat Tristan!" Then he said to Tristan, "So, pal, am I great or what?"

But the only thing on Tristan's mind was his injured Pikachu, and he didn't give a reply. Tears continued to fall from his eyes.

"Well, Tristan, I'm moving on up and ahead!" said Blue. "By checking my Pokédex and battling you, I can see which Pokémon are strong and how they evolve. It turns out that my team is strong while your team is weak. I'm going to the Champion League to boot out the Elite Four! As for you, you can enjoy the Pokémon League Competition, and I know that's for losers only. Smell ya!" He laughed as he started to walk away.

"Stop right there, Blue!" demanded Hillary as she ran in front of Tristan. She was most offended by Blue's remark.

Tristan looked up and saw Hillary confronting Blue.

"How dare you talk to Tristan like that!" scolded Hillary. "He showed his Pokémon compassion! Did you not see how badly hurt Pikachu and Tristan's other Pokémon were, huh?!"

"They just lost one battle," retorted Blue.

"One battle?!" exclaimed Hillary. "Tristan may have lost one lousy Pokémon battle, but at least he hasn't lost his heart...not like you, Blue Oak! You've spent so much time looking at your Pokédex and raising strong Pokémon that you've forgotten what being human is really about!"

Blue seethed in anger at Hillary's words.

"Tristan was getting ready for the Pokémon League when you came," continued Hillary. "He accepted your challenge because he loves to battle, and his Pokémon love to win for him. They all did their very best because they're all his friends, and all you can say to Tristan is that he is a loser?!"

Blue got even more angry.

"Tristan's got a heart and he has me...her little sister," said Hillary. "He also has friends that will stand by him through thick and thin. And what do you have at the end of the day, Blue?"

Blue just stood there.

"Answer me!" she demanded.

Blue turned around. At last, he said, "I finally have my revenge." And he walked away, quite unconcerned.

Now it was Hillary's turn to seethe in anger. _Keep fooling yourself, Blue,_ she thought. _Tristan is a far better Trainer than you'll ever be._ She continued to look at Blue walking away from them as Tristan sadly continued to hold Pikachu gently in his arms.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan's full battle against Blue in the Trainer House Stadium ends in defeat. How will Tristan recover from his loss? And will this make him lose confidence in himself in the Pokémon League Competition? Stay tuned..._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	49. Chapter 49: THE IDES OF DEFEAT

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 49 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Tristan and Hillary's grandparents make an appearance starting in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan self-confidence has been shattered after his devastating loss to Blue; however, his grandmother may have the cure for him to restore his fighting spirit...and that's a battle against...her!**

 **Chapter 49: THE IDES OF DEFEAT**

 _(Music Cue: Prayer)_

It was a beautiful evening at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City. The sun was getting ready to set; however, Tristan's spirits were sinking with it. He had lost a pretty tough full battle against his arch-rival, Blue, in the Trainer House Stadium, and was keeping a very close eye on his Pokémon, particularly Blastoise, Lapras, and Pikachu, who were all seriously injured by Jolteon's Thunder attack. All six of Tristan's Pokémon were being looked at by Nurse Joy and Chansey.

Hillary wandered by. "You're still here, Tristan?" she asked.

Tristan nodded. "I let my Pokémon down today, sis."

Hillary now felt sorry for Tristan. "Maybe some food will cheer you up. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria and get something to eat."

"No thanks," sighed Tristan sadly. "I'm not hungry."

"Not hungry?!" exclaimed Hillary. "Tristan, this isn't like you!"

"I know, but I just can't stop thinking about how my Pokémon got hurt in today's battle," said Tristan.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Tristan," insisted Hillary. "Now, start putting yourself back together and let's eat, okay?"

Tristan just sighed. He didn't mind losing, but he felt that his pride was hurt, especially since he knew that he and his Pokémon trained very hard to win his eight badges.

 _Now what do I do?_ thought Hillary. _There has to be a way to help Tristan somehow, but how?_

* * *

 _As Tristan keeps a close watch over all his Pokémon after his resounding loss against Blue in the Trainer House Stadium, he knows that he has to find the answer inside himself. Will he find his heart, and will he be able to find enough courage to get his fighting spirit back?_

* * *

"Oh, hi, Hillary," said Veronica, Tristan and Hillary's grandmother on the video phone a few minutes later. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing much better than Tristan," replied Hillary. "In fact, I'm rather worried."

"Worried?" asked Veronica. "Is something wrong?"

Hillary nodded. "Tristan lost a tough full battle against Blue in the Trainer House Stadium today, and now, it seems like he's totally out of it. All of his Pokémon have been seriously injured, particularly Pikachu, Lapras, and Blastoise. His other three Pokémon have injuries, too, but they're not as serious."

"Can I speak with him?" asked Veronica.

"He's keeping a very close eye on his Pokémon and refuses to move," answered Hillary. "He won't eat, he won't rest, he won't even talk to me."

Veronica understood the predicament. "It sounds like Tristan wasn't the only one who's lost a sense of pride."

"What do you mean, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"What I mean is that Tristan's Pokémon love to win, and they've battled and trained for a long time trying to get those eight badges," explained Veronica. "And when they got injured the way that you say they were, I think they lost a sense of pride, too."

"So what do we do?" asked Hillary.

Veronica gave the matter a lot of thought. At last, she said, "I'll talk to your grandfather about it and see what we can do. In the meantime, I think it's best to give Tristan some space for now."

"Okay," replied Hillary. "Thanks, Grandma."

"You're welcome, dear," smiled Veronica.

The video transmission ended.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Tristan's house in New Bark Town in the Johto region, Veronica saw her husband, Eric, walk into the living room and sit next to her.

"How are things with the kids, dear?" asked Eric.

Veronica sadly lowered her face. "Not good," she answered. "Tristan lost a tough battle and he's lost his battling spirit."

"That doesn't sound like the Tristan we know and love," remarked Eric. "From what I hear, he's always been psyched to battle. What do you propose we do?"

"We pay a visit to him," replied Veronica. "We'll go to Viridian City first thing tomorrow and I'll battle him."

"But you can't battle him," protested Eric. "All you have is Eevee."

"Correction, dear," said Veronica. "I have a strong Eevee, plus the one I got from Amy recently. And I have a very good feeling that a good battle with Tristan will get his fighting spirit back."

"Let's hope so," replied Eric.

* * *

Tristan kept a watchful eye on his Pokémon all evening. He kept thinking about how his Pokémon were defeated, specifically when Jolteon defeated Blastoise, Lapras, and Pikachu single-handed.

* * *

First, he thought about how Blastoise had used Dig on a surprised Jolteon. Then, Jolteon cleverly used the second hole Blastoise dug to score a huge direct hit on it.

Next, he thought about how Lapras got pulverized from Jolteon's Thunder attack. Then, just to add insult to injury, Jolteon upped its power, knocking it out.

Finally, he thought about how Pikachu and Jolteon squared off against one another with Thunder attacks, which created the huge explosion. It was a close standoff, but Pikachu collapsed from exhaustion.

* * *

Even though he and his Pokémon did their best, Tristan felt that he somehow felt responsible for the defeat.

"Tristan?" asked a voice.

Tristan turned around to see Nurse Joy, who seemed very concerned.

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Nurse Joy. "You haven't said a word all evening. Are you okay?"

Tristan just sighed. He was in a pretty tough predicament.

"Would you like something to eat?" asked Nurse Joy. "I brought you some pizza."

"No thanks," sighed Tristan. He was still thinking about his tough loss in the Trainer House Stadium. "Are my Pokémon going to be okay, Nurse Joy?"

"Your Pokémon are going to be just fine after a good night's sleep," smiled Nurse Joy. "Perhaps you should get some food and some rest, too."

"What do you mean?" asked Tristan. He was still puzzled.

"Pokémon aren't the only ones who need to recharge every once in a while," explained Nurse Joy. "Sometimes, after tough battles, Trainers need to recharge too. After a little sustenance and a good night's sleep, you might feel different tomorrow."

Tristan didn't think much about the food, but at last, he said, "Okay. I guess I am a little hungry."

"That's the spirit," smiled Nurse Joy as he handed Tristan a plate full of pizza. "And remember, if you need anything, I'll be nearby." And she walked away.

Tristan felt better after that, and he started to chow down on the pizza that Nurse Joy brought him.

* * *

Later, after he finished his pizza, Tristan quietly checked on his Pokémon through the glass window. They were all fast asleep. Then, he whispered, "I hope you can all forgive me." Then he walked away from the window and quietly opened the door to the bedroom. Hillary stirred in her sleep as the door quietly closed behind Tristan, who got into bed and fell fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Hillary was the first one up. She got dressed and quietly opened the door and walked out. She looked at Tristan, who was still sleeping, and quietly closed the door behind her. "Being a Trainer must be really hard work," she whispered to herself.

She walked over to the lobby where Nurse Joy and all of Tristan's Pokémon was waiting. Pikachu happily jumped into Hillary's arms while Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pidgeot, and Lapras happily greeted her.

"Good morning, Hillary," said Nurse Joy. "Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning, Nurse Joy," replied Hillary. "Yes, I did."

"Where's Tristan?" asked Nurse Joy.

"I think he's still asleep," replied Hillary.

"And I think I know why," said Nurse Joy. "Tristan stayed up late last night to keep an eye on his Pokémon."

"So that's what happened," said Hillary.

"Why don't you and the Pokémon have some breakfast in the cafeteria?" suggested Nurse Joy.

"Good idea," replied Hillary. She turned to the Pokémon. "Come on, guys, let's get something to eat." She and Pikachu excitedly led the Pokémon to the cafeteria while making sure that they didn't cause any confusion.

* * *

A little while later, Hillary and Pikachu happily sat together at the table to eat their breakfast while Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Lapras, and Pidgeot sat on the floor to have theirs because they were too big to be at the table.

"Are you enjoying your food, guys?" asked Hillary.

All of Tristan's Pokémon replied happily.

"Hmmm," said Hillary to herself. "I wonder where Tristan is. He's missing out on this great breakfast."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Route 1 The Road to Viridian City (M18B))_

Tristan finally emerged from the bedroom with a big yawn. He hadn't slept so well and for so long in a long time. Dealing with a big loss could take a lot out of almost anyone. He walked to the window where his Pokémon slept the night before, but the room was empty. He walked up to the front desk where Nurse Joy was waiting.

"There you are, Tristan," smiled Nurse Joy. "Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. "Yes, I did. Have you seen Hillary and the Pokémon?"

"They're all in the cafeteria eating their breakfast," answered Nurse Joy. "Your Pokémon are all feeling better. Would you like to join them?"

"I sure would, Nurse Joy," said Tristan. He was feeling much more cheerful. He dashed off to the cafeteria to join the others.

Hillary saw him run in. "There you are, sleepyhead," she said.

"Hi, sis. Hi, guys," said Tristan.

Pikachu happily jumped into Tristan's arms, feeling much better.

"It's nice to see you, too, Pikachu," said Tristan. He turned to his other five Pokémon. "How are you all doing?"

The Pokémon replied happily.

"I'm sorry you all got hurt in yesterday's battle," said Tristan. "Can you forgive me?"

The Pokémon nodded happily.

"Thanks a lot, guys," said Tristan. "I'll try and do better as a Trainer."

The Pokémon understood Tristan's feelings; they knew he was very kind.

Presently, Veronica and Eric, Tristan and Hillary's grandparents, entered the cafeteria. "Good morning, kids," they said.

"Hi, guys!" said Hillary excitedly as she ran to hug them.

Tristan was surprised. "Grandma and Grandpa?" he said. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We heard about your loss from your sister," explained Veronica. "She was worried about you, so she talked with me. And when your grandfather heard, we figured that we should go to Viridian City. I want to see what I can do as a Pokémon Trainer...against you."

Tristan was confused. "You want to battle...me?"

"So, do you accept?" asked Veronica.

Tristan thought about it. "Well, I guess I could use a battle to try and get back into it," he replied. "But first, I should think about eating some breakfast, too." He got himself some toast from the counter.

Veronica smiled. "It looks like he's starting to get back into it already." She turned to Eric. "He's gotten his appetite back, too. Maybe we should join the kids and the Pokémon."

"That's a good idea," replied Eric. "Tristan has certainly put together a great collection."

And they sat down to breakfast themselves.

* * *

After breakfast, Veronica and Eric led Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu out to a practice battlefield in the back.

"I don't uderstand, Grandma," said Tristan. "What are we doing here?"

"Like I said before, dear, I want to battle you," answered Veronica. "We'll use one Pokémon each. I think I should warn you that I used to be a very good Pokémon Trainer back in my day, but today, I consider myself an Eevee trainer." She took out a Pokéball. "And this Eevee is the one you know, so let's...go!" She threw the Pokéball.

Eevee emerged from the white light that shot out.

Tristan was shocked. _She's right!_ he thought. _That's the same Eevee that has kept us out of trouble all this time!_

"No way!" gasped Hillary. "I never knew that Grandma could use that Eevee to battle."

"Your grandmother is a very skilled trainer," remarked Eric to Hillary. "Even though she's semi-retired, she still battles like a true champion."

"Which of your Pokémon will you choose, Tristan?" asked Veronica eagerly.

Tristan suddenly remembered the promise that his parents and grandparents made when he and Hillary moved to New Bark Town.

* * *

"Maybe when Tristan receives his starter Pokémon in a few years, he can have a battle with you," said Veronica.

"We'd like that," replied Bill.

* * *

Tristan knew that this wasn't a battle against his parents, but his grandmother would be a good substitute. He turned to Pikachu, who stood right beside him. "Pikachu, are you ready?"

Pikachu replied and eagerly jumped in front of Tristan, ready to battle Veronica's Eevee.

"So, you've chosen Pikachu," said Veronica. "It looks plenty strong, but let's see if you've trained it well."

"Oh, you'll see, all right," replied Tristan.

"Let's get started," said Veronica. "Eevee, Tackle attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

Eevee charged toward Pikachu full-body style.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped out of the way just as Eevee was about to land a hit.

"Now, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

Pikachu launched a yellow bolt of electricity at Eevee.

"Well, that's a strong Thunderbolt," remarked Veronica. "Eevee, use your Quick Attack!"

Eevee ran from the Thunderbolt with a white line trailing behind it. Then using the momentum, it rammed into Pikachu hard.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Whoa, did you see that?" gasped Hillary.

"I sure did," replied Eric. "Your grandmother used Quick Attack as both a dodge and her next attack. I hate to admit it, but she hasn't lost her touch."

"Pikachu, can you get up?" asked Tristan to Pikachu, who was lying on the ground.

Pikachu easily got back to its feet.

"That's the spirit, Pikachu!" commended Tristan.

"Interesting," said Veronica. "Your Pikachu has taken on Eevee's Quick Attack and is still ready to battle. I may not be a Gym Leader, but you have certainly earned my respect."

"Thanks, Grandma, but this isn't over yet," replied Tristan "Pikachu, use your Quick Attack now!"

Pikachu charged toward Eevee with a white line trailing behind it. It successfully rammed into it, scoring a direct hit in the process.

"That's fast!" remarked Veronica.

Tristan nodded. "When it comes to speed, Pikachu is as good as the best."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you," warned Veronica. "Eevee, try a Sand-Attack."

Eevee recovered and used its hind legs to kick up sand, which got into Pikachu's eyes.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu tried hard to shake the sand out of its eyes, but to no avail.

"Well, now what, Tristan?" asked Veronica. "Pikachu can't use its eyes to see what's happening."

"Grandma's really giving Tristan a tough time," remarked Hillary to Eric. "Grandpa, isn't there a way for Tristan to turn this around?"

Eric didn't reply. He just kept watching the match.

Tristan waited for Veronica to make her next move, but with Pikachu unable to see from Sand-Attack, he had to be extra watchful. _If I don't think of something, Pikachu's gonna get creamed,_ he thought.

"I know you battled bravely, Tristan," said Veronica, "but it's time for me to end this match. Eevee, finish Pikachu off with Quick Attack!"

Eevee charged toward a blinded Pikachu with a white line trailing behind it.

As Eevee inched closer, he shouted, "Pikachu, use your Quick Attack to jump up!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

Pikachu immediately jumped straight up off the ground with a white line trailing behind it, and somehow avoided Eevee's Quick Attack.

"No way!" cried Veronica.

"Now, Pikachu, dive straight down, GO!"

Pikachu turned in a 180-degree angle and dove straight down on a surprised Eevee.

Eevee tried to dodge the attack, but Pikachu's Quick Attack was too fast, and since it was so high up off the ground, the damage Pikachu dealt to it was doubled.

"My goodness!" gasped Veronica.

"Unbelievable!" said Hillary. "How did Pikachu land a direct hit while it was still blinded?"

"Interesting," remarked Eric. "Tristan's acting as Pikachu's eyes."

"Really? But how?" asked Hillary.

"Eevee's Sand-Attack may have blinded Pikachu, but Pikachu and Tristan share a real close bond," explained Eric. "So when Pikachu was blinded, Tristan acted as Pikachu's guide and they communicated using their hearts."

"Using their hearts," repeated Hillary. She was awestruck at how things were turning out thanks to that turn of events.

"Eevee, Tackle attack!" commanded Veronica.

Eevee did another full-body style charge at Pikachu from the left.

"Pikachu, aim a Thunderbolt attack straight to your left!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu turned directly to its left, and, still blinded, shot a yellow bolt of electricity at Eevee, scoring another direct hit on Eevee.

"Eevee!" cried Veronica.

"Tristan's battling instincts are really kicking in!" remarked Hillary. "He's doing a great job of acting as Pikachu's eyes and battling at the same time! Now that's what I call teamwork!"

"I think we're starting to get our Tristan back," replied Eric.

Tristan smiled. Sure enough, this was exactly the kind of thing that always got him excited. He was having the time of his life battling his own grandmother in a good hard battle.

Veronica smiled, too. "All right, Tristan, you've had your fun. Now, it's time for me to have mine. Eevee, Take Down attack!"

Eevee charged toward Pikachu full-body style, but in a more powerful way.

"Pikachu, Double Team!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu quickly made copies of itself.

This time, Eevee was the one who couldn't see the real Pikachu. It stopped dead in its tracks.

"Now, Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

All the Pikachu zigged and zagged in multiple directions at once, but soon, Eevee got sideswiped by the real Pikachu. The copies all disappeared.

Veronica was surprised, but amazed. "Very impressive," she said. "I just love the way this is turning out. But as you know, two can play at this game. Eevee, use your Double Team!"

Eevee quickly made copies of itself.

"The copies are everywhere!" grunted Tristan. "Use Thunderbolt on all of them, Pikachu!"

Pikachu blindly shot multiple yellow bolts of electricity at all the Eevee. Sure enough, all the copies disappeared, but so did the real Eevee.

"Now where did it go?" said Tristan as he frantically looked around. He gasped in surprise as he saw that Eevee had cleverly jumped into the air to avoid Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Quick Attack now!" ordered Veronica.

Eevee quickly dove straight down on a defenseless Pikachu with a white line trailing behind it.

Pikachu was hit hard by Eevee's Quick Attack. It collapsed and fainted.

"No, Pikachu!" gasped Tristan.

Veronica smiled. She had won the match. "I guess that's it," she said and turned to Eevee. "Well done, Eevee. That was very nice work."

Eevee gave a happy reply despite all the damage it took.

Tristan quickly rushed over to Pikachu. "Pikachu!" he said. "Are you okay, buddy?"

Pikachu gave a tired, but satisfied reply.

"You were great, Pikachu," said Tristan.

"And so were you, dear," replied Veronica as she and Eevee walked up to Tristan. "That Pikachu of yours has been trained well. I have to say, you gave us a real challenge."

"Thanks, Grandma," replied Tristan. "Although, I didn't expect to beat you so easily."

"I used to be the champion of this region," explained Veronica.

Tristan and Hillary were surprised. "You were?" they said.

Veronica nodded. "I was a traveling trainer, just like you are," she explained. "I went from League to League and challenged the Elite Four, plus the champion of each region. But when your mother was born, I had decided to retire from being a champion and gave it to someone who was worthy enough to earn that title."

"Wow," said Hillary. "Tristan, you were battling a former champion. And you didn't even know it."

"I know," replied Tristan.

"But because you didn't know, you gave an exemplary performance," commended Eric. "I think you're now ready to take on the Pokémon League Competition."

"What do you mean, Gramps?" asked Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

"A Trainer learns more from his defeats than his victories," explained Eric. "When you lost to Blue, it was hard for you to accept it, especially since you had trained hard to win and earn those eight badges, but it didn't seem that you were learning much just from having victories, and you didn't know what a major defeat was like; however, since your grandmother was a trainer back in the day, we both figured that you could have a battle with her to help get your spirit back and learn from that experience."

"Well, now I know what I need to do," said Tristan. "We'll just have to train harder...right, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu happily.

* * *

A few hours later, after Pikachu was fully recovered, Tristan and Hillary got ready to go to the Indigo Plateau.

"Well, it's time for us to go, guys," said Hillary. "Thanks a lot for coming."

"I couldn't have gotten back into battling if I hadn't battled you in the first place, Grandma," added Tristan.

"You don't have to say your goodbyes to us just yet, kids," said Veronica.

"Why not?" wondered Hillary.

"Because we have decided to go to the Indigo Plateau with you," answered Eric.

"You have? All right!" said Tristan excitedly.

"Now you'll have more people rooting for you in the Pokémon League!" added Hillary.

"All right, kids, let's get going!" called Veronica. "We'll use my car!" She led a happy Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Eric to a car that had been parked right next to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 _And so, with Tristan's battling spirit restored, he and Hillary prepare to embark for the Indigo Plateau, site of the Pokémon League Competition. And with their grandparents joining in on the fun, it's sure to be an extra special occasion as their journey continues!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	50. Chapter 50: THREE EEVEE FOR VICTORY!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 50 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as they continue their journey through Kanto. The four Rocket Brothers from the Red, Blue, and Yellow version games make appearances here. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: A chance encounter with the four Rocket Brothers forces Tristan's grandmother to tell him the horrible truth about what happened in the past.**

 **Chapter 50: THREE EEVEE FOR VICTORY!**

 _Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are finally back on the road to the Indigo Plateau, site of the Pokémon League Competition, but this time, under the special escort of their grandparents, Veronica and Eric._

"I really can't wait to get there," said Tristan excitedly as he rode along in his grandparents' car with Veronica at the wheel.

"I wonder what Pokémon you'll battle against," added Hillary.

"Well, no wonder what Pokémon you battle, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time," replied Veronica.

Eric agreed. "She's right. Just do your best out there and you'll never lose."

"Thanks, guys," said Tristan. "I'll do my best."

Veronica could tell that Tristan had gotten his fighting spirit back. A battle was just the perfect thing for him.

But suddenly, three injured Eevee stumbled onto the road just ahead of the car.

Tristan quickly spotted them. "Grandma, look out!" he shouted.

Instantly, Veronica honked on the horn and slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt just inches away from the injured Eevee.

"Phew!" said Hillary.

"That was a close one," added Veronica. "Thanks for the warning, Tristan. My reflexes are getting slower these days."

"Is everyone okay back there?" asked Eric.

"We're okay," replied Tristan and Hillary.

Pikachu agreed.

Veronica immediately got out of the car and went to check on the Eevee. Everyone else followed.

Veronica examined all three of the Eevee very carefully. They all had wounds everywhere. "This isn't good," said Veronica. "We've gotta help these Eevee. Tristan, I need you to help take care of the wounds first. Do you have your first aid kit with you?"

"Yes I do," replied Tristan.

"Good, there's no time to waste," said Veronica.

Tristan quickly got out his potions and immediately proceeded to spray them onto the wounds of the three Eevee, one at a time.

"How did they get injured in the first place?" asked Eric.

"I don't know, dear, but now's not the time to wonder about that," replied Veronica. "We have to get these Pokémon to the Pokémon Center as fast as we can."

"But where can we find one?" asked Hillary. "Viridian City must be far away by now."

"There's one close by," replied Veronica. "Everyone, get in the car, and take the three Eevee with you."

Tristan, Hillary, and Eric each picked up one of the Eevee very carefully.

Then everyone hurried into the car, fastened their seat belts, and, with screeching tires, sped away to the Pokémon Center as fast as they could.

* * *

"Nurse Joy, please help us!" pleaded Veronica as she and the others arrived in the Pokémon Center lobby a few minutes later.

"What happened?" asked Nurse Joy.

"We just found these three Eevee, and they're in really bad shape," explained Hillary.

"Then let's get them on the stretchers!" ordered Nurse Joy.

Tristan, Hillary, and Eric each got the Eevee onto one of the stretchers, and three Chansey pushed them into the operating room. as the door closed behind them.

"Now what?" asked Tristan.

"I guess we'll just have to wait it out," replied Hillary.

Just then a woman in police attire rushed into the Pokémon Center with a Growlithe at her side. It was Officer Jenny. "Does anyone have any injured Pokémon with them?" she asked.

"Hi, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan. "No, none of us has any injured Pokémon."

"Well, even if you didn't, I need to know if any injured Pokémon have been brought to this Pokémon Center today," said Officer Jenny.

"Come to think of it," replied Veronica, "we just brought in three injured Eevee."

"I was afraid of that," sighed Officer Jenny. "Many Pokémon have been getting seriously hurt on this stretch to the Indigo Plateau lately, and it looks like there are criminals out there who will stop at nothing to capture them."

"You mean someone's trying to hurt them on purpose?!" exclaimed Hillary.

"That''s right," said Officer Jenny.

"We have to find some way to stop them!" said Tristan. "Because if we don't, more Pokémon could end up just as badly as those Eevee did!"

"I've been trying to find clues to see if they'll lead me to the criminals, but so far, nothing," said Officer Jenny.

"How many of them were there?" asked Eric.

"As far as I know, there are four," answered Officer Jenny, "but there may be more than that. So if you see them, be very careful, because as I said, they'll stop at nothing to get rare Pokémon, and it sounds like those Eevee were most fortunate when you all found them.

Veronica then clenched her fist in anger. "As a self-appointed Eevee trainer, I will do my best to help bring these dastardly criminals to justice!"

"Grandma's right," added Tristan. "They're not going to get away with hurting Pokémon."

Pikachu agreed with them.

"Thanks for you help, and good luck!" called Officer Jenny as she and Growlithe started to leave the Pokémon Center.

But just then, Nurse Joy emerged from the operating room.

Everyone rushed to her.

"Are those Eevee going to be okay?" asked Tristan.

"These Eevee are going to need a lot of rest, but you got them here just in time," answered Nurse Joy.

"Thank goodness," sighed Hillary.

"Nurse Joy, I just got word that these people brought in three injured Eevee," explained Officer Jenny. "They were found in the middle of the road on the way to the Indigo Plateau."

"That's what the kids told me," replied Nurse Joy.

"We'll have to find the criminals before some other Pokémon gets hurt!" said Tristan.

"But how do we do that?" asked Hillary. "We don't know what those criminals look like."

"You forget, Hillary, that I have a Pokémon that can help us with this investigation," smiled Tristan. He went outside the Pokémon Center and threw a Pokéball.

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of it and awaited Tristan's orders.

"Pidgeot, I need you to scout the area and look for a group of at least four people," instructed Tristan.

Pidgeot complied and immediately flew off to begin its search.

"That's a great idea," said Officer Jenny. "With surveillance from the air, I'm sure we'll find something, even if it turns out to be nothing."

"Knowing Tristan, he's trained that Pokémon exceptionally well," replied Veronica. "I think we're all in good hands with him."

* * *

Meanwhile, as Pidgeot looked high and low through the air, a black jeep with four people in black uniforms was speeding along the road.

A Voltorb, Gloom, Growlithe, Venomoth, Cubone, Poliwag, and a Drowzee were all in cages in the back of the jeep. They were all very miserable and all had some injuries.

"Wow, I can't believe we pulled that off," said the first one.

"Yeah, but those three Eevee got away," grumbled the second. "We almost had them, but that lousy bush made us just miss them."

"Don't worry about it," said the third. "Once we get all those Pokémon to the boss, we'll forget it ever happened."

"I sure hope so, Harry," said the fourth one. "We still have many more Pokémon to find, and this is only the beginning of our conquest."

Pidgeot overheard the conversation from above and immediately started flying back to the Pokémon Center to alert Tristan and the others.

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Tristan and the others waited for Pidgeot to return with any information.

Presently, Pidgeot appeared in the sky and alerted everyone.

"What is it, Pidgeot?" asked Tristan. "Did you find something?"

Pidgeot squawked and pointed its wing toward the road, leading to the Indigo Plateau.

"It must have found the criminals," said Eric.

"All right, then let's go!" commanded Officer Jenny.

"I'm going, too," said Veronica as she and Officer Jenny dashed out of the Pokémon Center.

"I'll be right behind you, guys!" called Tristan. He turned to Hillary. "Hillary, I need you to stay here."

"Awww, no fair," complained Hillary. "Why do you always have to treat me like a little kid?"

"Grandpa, could you look after Hillary for me?" asked Tristan.

"No problem," replied Eric. "You just be careful out there."

"Thanks," said Tristan. "Let's go, Pikachu!"

Pikachu quickly followed Tristan and the others out of the Pokémon Center.

Everyone got into the two cars and followed Pidgeot to the location of the criminals.

* * *

Meanwhile, the people in black uniforms were making headway to their sinister destination. They stopped to take a short rest before resuming their journey. One of them spoke to Giovanni, the Boss of Team Rocket, on the radio.

"Boss, this is Barry," said the first one.

"Proceed," said Giovanni.

"We have seven Pokémon to show you, including a Cubone," said the first man. "We tried to get three Eevee, but they got away."

"Having seven Pokémon is better than none," said Giovanni. "Bring those Pokémon to me immediately, then go find the Eevee."

"Yes, sir," replied the first man.

The transmission ended.

Suddenly, Pidgeot appeared and launched a Quick Attack on the tires on their car, causing them to deflate and tilt the car sideways.

The men were shaken out of the car.

"Who did that?!" demanded the first man.

Pidgeot glared at the men, who were very scared just as the two cars arrived on the scene.

Tristan, Veronica, Pikachu, and Officer Jenny stepped out of the cars.

"You're under arrest for Pokémon poaching and willful injury!" declared Officer Jenny.

"You've got some nerve!" fumed Veronica. "It's bad enough that you steal Pokémon, but intentionally hurting them is just sick!"

"Let those Pokémon go right now!" demanded Tristan.

"Ugh!" growled the men. "Just great. It's that kid again!"

Veronica became nervous. "You know them, Tristan?"

"I don't know their true identity, but I have an idea who they are," replied Tristan.

The men took off the black uniforms and revealed more black uniforms with red Rs on them. "We are the four Rocket Brothers!"

"Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

"That's right!" said the first one. "I'm Barry!"

"I'm Gary," said the second.

"I'm Harry," said the third.

"And I'm Larry," said the fourth.

"Oh, dear," whispered Veronica to herself. "Not Team Rocket." _This is not what I wanted to happen,_ she thought. _I promised Sarah and Bill that I would never mention Team Rocket to Tristan. Now he already knows about them._

"We don't give a hoot about what you say," shouted Barry. "We're taking your Pokémon anyway!"

"Go!" they all shouted as they threw their Pokéballs.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 1 (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne")))_

Barry's Machoke, Gary's Cubone, Harry's Weezing, and Larry's Golbat and Hypno materialized from the white lights that shot out of them.

"You cheaters!" exclaimed Veronica. "You're using five Pokémon at once!"

"Well, we can, too!" replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Charizard, go!"

Charizard materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

"Grandma, send out your two Eevee!" suggested Tristan.

"Right!" replied Veronica as she threw two Pokéballs of her own. "Go, Eevee!"

Veronica's two Eevee materialized from the white lights that shot out of the balls.

"Now we're even," said Tristan.

"Not for long, you fools!" said Harry. "Weezing, Tackle attack!"

"Golbat, Wing Attack!" yelled Larry.

Weezing charged toward one of Veronica's Eevee while Golbat's wings glowed, intending to strike the other Eevee.

"Go, Eevee, double Quick Attack now!" commanded Veronica.

Both Eevee sped toward Golbat and Weezing with white lines trailing behind them. They successfully rammed into Golbat and Weezing, knocking them back.

"Hey, not bad, Grandma," remarked Tristan.

"It's amazing what a former champion can do," replied Veronica.

"Machoke, give those Eevee a Low Kick and send them into next week!" yelled Barry.

Machoke proceeded to give Veronica's Eevee a strong kick.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a hot stream of fire from its mouth at Machoke, blasting it at close range.

"You're red-hot yourself, Tristan," said Veronica.

"Well, we've been practicing," replied Tristan.

"Get up and fight back!" shouted Barry and Larry.

Golbat, Weezing, and Machoke all struggled back to their feet.

"You fools!" scolded Gary. "You don't just wing it and kick it when you have a bone to pick with whoever gets in our way! Cubone, Bone Club!"

Cubone proceeded to hit both of Veronica's Eevee with its bone.

"Both of you, dodge and hit Cubone with your Quick Attack!" ordered Veronica.

Both Eevee easily dodged by going in both directions. Then, they sped toward Cubone with a white line trailing behind them, and they scored a huge direct hit.

"Hypno, Hypnosis!" yelled Larry.

Hypno swung its pendulum back and forth, again and again. Both Eevee looked at the pendulum and started to get drowsy.

"Now what's happening?" wondered Veronica.

"Hypno's Hypnosis attack is causing the Eevee to fall asleep!" replied Tristan. "If we don't do something fast, they're both going to be in big trouble!"

"Hurry, Eevee, get away!" commanded Veronica.

But it was too late. Both of Veronica's Eevee closed their eyes and fell fast asleep.

"Hypno, Dream Eater attack!" commanded Larry.

Hypno's hand glowed in a red color, then both Eevee glowed red, too. Then a red line connected the two Eevee to Hypno as it began to absorb their energy.

"Being outnumbered isn't so bad, now is it?" taunted Larry. "Especially since it can take on two sleeping Pokémon at once!"

"Eevee, you have to wake up now!" shouted Veronica.

Just then, three quadruped Pokémon came from out of nowhere and slammed into Hypno, causing its Dream Eater to stop.

"Oh, no, Hypno!" cried Larry.

 _(Music Cue: Gym (version 1 (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne")))_

The three Pokémon jumped in front of both of Veronica's Eevee, ready to defend them.

"Could those be..." began Tristan.

"It's the same three Eevee we brought to the Pokémon Center!" gasped Veronica, "but I thought that they were in bad shape!"

"Well, five Eevee are much better than two," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu agreed.

Presently, both of Veronica's Eevee woke up, and they weren't very happy about being attacked while sleeping. They joined the other three Eevee and readied themselves for battle.

"This is great!" said Barry. "Now there are five Eevee instead of the three we wanted to capture!"

"Now's our chance to catch 'em all!" added Gary.

"Eevee, Double Team now!" commanded Veronica.

All five Eevee made copies of themselves, confusing all four of the Rocket Brothers and their Pokémon.

"Whoa, I wouldn't want to get on any of the Eevee's bad sides," remarked Officer Jenny.

"Or on Grandma's either," added Tristan.

"Okay, Eevee, Tackle them and send 'em flying!" ordered Veronica.

All five Eevee, plus the copies sped at the Rocket Brothers and their Pokémon and successfully rammed into them with such force that they were sent flying into the cage, causing the captured Voltorb, Gloom, Growlithe, Venomoth, Cubone, Poliwag, and Drowzee to be freed. They were very happy to be free as birds again.

"All right, dear, why don't you finish them off?" suggested Veronica. "I think the five Eevee have all had their payback."

"You got it, Grandma," replied Tristan. "All right, Pikachu, finish 'em off with your Thunderbolt attack!"

Pikachu complied and sent a yellow bolt of electricity their way, shocking them and sending them skyward with a "ding" to mark their flight.

"Great work, Pikachu," commended Tristan as Pikachu happily leaped into his arms.

The five Eevee, plus the Voltorb, Gloom, Growlithe, Venomoth, Cubone, Poliwag, and Drowzee were all happy that the chaos was over at last. The seven Pokémon then went off into the distance to their destinations.

"How did those three Eevee get better so fast?" wondered Veronica.

Presently, Nurse Joy, Eric, and Hillary arrived on the scene. They were all in Nurse Joy's car.

"There you guys are!" called Hillary.

Tristan then smiled. "There's just no stopping you, is there, Hillary?" he said.

"Nope," replied Hillary.

"The Eevee had disappeared from the Center a few minutes ago," explained Nurse Joy. "Then we noticed that they had left their bandages behind, meaning that their injuries weren't as serious as we first thought."

"That's excellent news, right, Grandma?" said Tristan.

"It sure is," replied Veronica.

Everyone watched Pikachu play along with the five happy Eevee.

* * *

"So you knew about the Team Rocket organization all along, Tristan?" asked Veronica some time later at the Pokémon Center.

Tristan nodded. "Hillary and I have encountered different members of Team Rocket many times before," he explained. "They're always up to no good. They go as far as stealing other people's Pokémon and any one that they can get their hands on."

Veronica then felt concerned. At last she said, "Tristan, I think it's about time you learned the truth about what happened a few years ago."

"What do you mean, Grandma?" asked Tristan.

"Well, it all started on a stormy day," said Veronica as she began to picture and tell the story of what happened on that fateful day.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken! (as heard in "A Tent Situation")_

"You were living in Pallet Town with your mother and father at the time," explained Veronica to Tristan. "Team Rocket had infiltrated every house, including yours. And, as I remember, they had stolen a lot of Pokéballs from every home in Pallet Town."

"But what happened to me?" asked Tristan.

"Their original plan was to steal Pokémon from your parents," answered Veronica. "They didn't have any, but decided to kidnap you instead." She continued to picture what happened to Tristan. "Those criminals had found you and had taken you out of the house. They then put you in a large truck and sped off, hoping that they could put you up for ransom. The storm in Pallet Town was loud and rain kept falling in sheets. Fortunately, before Team Rocket came to your house, your parents had already called the police and were alerted of the situation. Two police officers had found the location of the truck and were hot on Team Rocket's trail as they neared an abandoned gas station. However, the truck suddenly sped up and lost control, sideswiping the gas tanks and crashing into a bale of hay. The sparks and the exhaust from the truck were enough to start a fire, causing a lot of those criminals to beat a hasty retreat. However, the officers got you out of the truck and away from the station just in time before a massive explosion destroyed it."

* * *

"When your parents called me on that evening, they made me promise to never mention Team Rocket to you, but now it's too late," said Veronica as her voice started to break up. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. "Now you already know about it."

Eric gently put his hand on Veronica's shoulder. "It'll be all right, dear," he said.

"I know, but I just can't help it," she sobbed. "That's why the kids moved to New Bark Town to live with us in the first place."

Tristan and Hillary were confused, but understood why their grandmother kept this a secret for all this time.

"We know how you feel, Grandma," said Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "And even if you didn't tell us, this would put more of a strain on you. And besides, this wouldn't be the last time we had to face Team Rocket anyway. After all, they don't have schemes that we can't foil."

"She's right," added Tristan. "We've got friends in high places, or in Pokéballs, as the case may be."

Pikachu agreed, too.

That was when Veronica's two Eevee, jumped into her lap to show their smiles and affection.

 _(Music Cue: A Future Hope)_

Veronica stopped sobbing and looked at the two Eevee. "You understand how I feel?" she sniffled.

The two Eevee nodded.

So did everyone else.

Then the three other Eevee came to Veronica's feet.

"Looks like you may have some more friends who just want to be with you," said Eric.

Veronica looked down at her feet and noticed the three Eevee. It was obvious that they wanted to be with her for comfort. "You want to sit on my lap, too?" she asked.

The Eevee jumped up onto Veronica's lap, causing her and her two Eevee to tip and fall over.

Everyone was surprised, but Veronica and all five Eevee were soon embracing one another.

"Oh, thank you all," said Veronica. "You five are just like warm bottles of joy." This time, tears of happiness fell from her eyes.

Everyone else proudly looked on.

"Well, it looks like Grandma's got three more friends," said Tristan.

"And three more mouths to feed," added Eric.

"It sure does," agreed Hillary.

Pikachu agreed with them.

* * *

 _Having been told the truth about what happened in the past, Tristan and Hillary look on understandably and happily as their grandmother adds three more Eevee to her ever-growiing Pokémon and human family. Now with his sights set on victory in the Pokémon League Competition, Tristan and his friends will soon be back on the road to the Indigo Plateau as their journey continues!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	51. Chapter 51: TRAINING THE TRAINER

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 51 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Kanto region. This chapter is based on my battle against one of my siblings back in 2002 when I first got into Pokémon and played Pokémon Stadium 2 with him. I used my Pokémon Yellow team against his Pokémon Crystal team back then. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary run into their brothers, Braden and Evan. Braden challenges Tristan to a full battle to help each other train.**

 **Chapter 51: TRAINING THE TRAINER**

 _After conquering one harrowing adventure after another, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu are once again on their way to the Indigo Plateau, site of the Pokémon League Competition. And who better to lead the escort to this special occasion than their grandparents, Veronica and Eric? But today, they may be in for an even bigger surprise._

Tristan and Hillary were looking out the windows of their grandparents' car when Pikachu alerted them to something.

"What's the matter, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu was pointing to two people out in a clearing by a large lake. They didn't seem to be doing anything.

Tristan recognized them instantly. "Isn't that Braden and Evan?" he asked.

"You mean our brothers?" added Hillary. "What would they be doing here?"

"Let me see," said Eric as he took out his binoculars. He saw two people taking a break and recognized them at once. "You're right, Tristan, it is them." He turned to Veronica. "What do you say, dear? Shall we pay them a little visit?"

"Why not?" replied Veronica. "I always love to see friends and family."

Veronica turned onto the grass and gently rolled the car to a stop.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were the first ones out of the car.

"Hi, guys!" said Tristan.

Evan and Braden turned around and saw Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

"Tristan and Hillary!" replied Braden. "It's been awhile."

"It's good to see you again," added Evan. "Who's Pikachu is that?"

"It's mine," answered Tristan. "Pikachu likes it better when it's outside with me. Right, pal?"

Pikachu agreed.

"Is that your first Pokémon?" asked Braden.

Tristan nodded as he gently stroked it on the head. "Pikachu and I have been through so much together already. We've become really good buddies."

Pikachu agreed happily.

Veronica and Eric walked over.

"Why, Braden," said Veronica. "I think you've grown since we've seen you last."

"It's nice to see you again," added Eric.

"Hi, Grandma. Hi, Grandpa," replied Braden as he hugged them. "What brings you all here?"

"We were on our way to the Indigo Plateau so I could compete in the Pokémon League Competition, but we wanted to stop by and see how you were doing," explained Tristan.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I'm not doing very well at all," replied Braden.

Tristan and Hillary were surprised.

"Not well at all? But why not?" asked Hillary.

"As you know, Evan and I have been travelling for a long time now, but for some reason, I keep losing to the Elite Four," explained Braden. "They're this group of really tough trainers that I have to battle in order to challenge the Champion of the Elite Four. They're really good...most trainers wouldn't stand a chance against them. I remember taking first place in the Pokémon League Competition last year. That earned me the right to challenge the Elite Four, and I can try as many times as necessary until I become the Champion. But so far, I've suffered humiliating defeats, one after another. I just don't know how to proceed. Even my strongest Pokémon, my Feraligatr, wouldn't stand a chance."

"Did you say a Feraligatr?" asked Hillary. "May we see?"

"Sure, if you want to," replied Braden as he took out a Pokéball. "Come on out, Feraligatr."

A blue bulky bipedal crocodilian Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had powerful jaws, and it was really big.

"So that's what a Feraligatr looks like," said Tristan as he tried to scan Feraligatr with his Pokédex; however, it showed nothing but static.

 _"Pokémon unknown. No available data,"_ said Dexter.

"No data?" asked Tristan. "But why?"

"Feraligatr must live in the Johto region," said Hillary.

Evan snickered. To him, it was very funny that an older brother of his couldn't scan a Feraligatr easily. Then, he burst out laughing. "That Pokédex is pathetic!" he laughed. "You must be a really weak trainer, Tristan."

Braden bonked Evan on the head with a toy hammer. "You know, Evan, how would you like to be the next target of Feraligatr's Water Gun?!" he asked.

"Sorry," replied Evan. He stopped laughing at once.

"So, Feraligatr's a Water-type, huh?" said Tristan.

Braden nodded. "If you have time, we could have a full battle. That way, we'll both get in a little training. We'll each use six Pokémon, and we can substitute any of ours at any time. What do you say?"

Tristan eagerly jumped up at this chance. Battling always got him very excited. Maybe defeating Braden will help him redeem himself, especially after his loss against his rival, Blue. "I accept," he said. "This'll be a good workout for me so I can be in tip-top shape for the Pokémon League."

"But Braden, what about your training?" protested Evan.

"This IS training, Evan," insisted Braden. "Maybe having a battle against Tristan will help me improve my skills and figure out what I need to do in order to become the next Champion. Plus, maybe you and Hillary can learn something together."

"Well, okay," said Evan doubtfully. "But no matter what happens, I'll be rooting for you."

"I'm rooting for Tristan!" replied Hillary.

"We're rooting for the both of them," finished Veronica and Eric together.

* * *

Tristan and Braden took their places on opposite sides of each other in the clearing a few minutes later.

"Okay, Tristan," said Braden. "I should warn you that just because you're younger than me doesn't mean that I'll go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want you to," replied Tristan. "Now, choose your first Pokémon."

"Raticate, go!" shouted Braden as he threw his first Pokéball.

Raticate materialized from the white light that shot out of it.

 _Why is he using Raticate?_ thought Tristan. _He must have something planned right from the start._

"What's the matter, Tristan?" asked Braden. "Does my Raticate look too tough for you to handle?"

"Not at all," replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Venusaur, I choose you!"

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It was prepared for battle.

"This is going to be good!" said Hillary excitedly. "I've never seen Braden and Tristan battle each other before."

"That Venusaur looks very big," remarked Evan. "I wonder if Raticate will do all right."

"Technically, Evan, Braden has a lot more experience as a trainer," replied Veronica. "However, I have to give the advantage to Venusaur."

"What do you mean?" asked Evan. He was puzzled.

 _(Music Cue: Wreakin' Havoc! (as heard the first time in "SHOWDOWN AT DARK CITY"))_

"Let's begin!" said Braden. "Raticate, Tackle attack!"

Raticate charged at Venusaur full-body style.

"Go, Venusaur, push it back!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur held steady as Raticate rammed into it. Its massive size successfully pushed Raticate backward.

"Ugh! That was no good! I forgot all about Venusaur's massive body!" grunted Braden.

"Venusaur, Razor Leaf attack!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur fired a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Raticate. The leaves sliced and diced Raticate, giving it some damage.

"Okay, Venusaur, grab it and finish it off with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur shot two large vines from the flower on its back and used them to grab Raticate. Then, it hoisted it up into the air and thrust it down to the ground with such force that it knocked it out.

"No, Raticate!" cried Braden.

"No way!" exclaimed Evan. "Raticate lost already?"

"That's strange," said Hillary. "I was expecting more of a fight from Raticate. How'd it get defeated so easily?"

"Because Venusaur's mass outmatched Raticate's mass," explained Veronica. "When you face off against a bigger Pokémon with a smaller Pokémon, usually the bigger Pokémon comers out on top."

"Of course, you'll have to take level and type into account, too," added Eric. "And from the looks of things, I would guess that Venusaur was at a much higher level than Raticate was."

Braden returned Raticate to its Pokéball and took out another one. "You may have gotten lucky against Raticate, but let's see if my Pidgeot can even the score!" He threw the Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real Vs. Copy Pokémon)_

His Pidgeot emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"I didn't know that you had a Pidgeot, Braden," said Tristan.

"Pidgeot is a trustworthy Pokémon that many trainers rely on," replied Braden. "We've been through some difficult battles together."

"Venusaur and I can take on whatever you throw at us, even at a disadvantage," said Tristan.

Venusaur agreed.

"Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!" commanded Braden.

Pidgeot sped toward Venusaur with a white line trailing behind it. It was much faster and had a little more mass than Raticate.

"Venusaur, use Tackle attack!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur charged at Pidgeot full-body style.

The two collided with neither side giving an inch.

"I think we've got an even match," remarked Hillary.

"You're right," replied Evan.

Both Pokémon fell back and readied themselves for the next attack.

"Pidgeot, use Wing Attack!" commanded Braden.

Pidgeot's wings glowed as it charged at Venusaur. It successfully scored a direct hit, but Venusaur was still ready for more.

"Hang in there, Venusaur," encouraged Tristan. "Use your SolarBeam!"

Venusaur's flower started to glow as traces of sunlight were absorbed into it.

"I'm sure you know that charging up for a SolarBeam attack takes a long time," reminded Braden. "Go, Pidgeot, hit Venusaur with back to back Wing Attacks!"

Pidgeot used its glowing wings to score one hit after another on Venusaur.

All the while, Venusaur was still charging up sunlight, and it couldn't dodge Pidgeot's attacks. At last, it was all charged up.

"SolarBeam attack now!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur fired a powerful white beam at Pidgeot.

"Quick, dodge it!" commanded Braden.

Pidgeot hurriedly dodged the SolarBeam, much to Tristan and Venusaur's surprise.

"That Pidgeot is really quick!" remarked Eric. "It can even dodge a powerful SolarBeam!"

"Now it's time for our little surprise," said Braden. "Pidgeot, use Mirror Move!"

"What's Mirror Move?" wondered Tristan.

Pidgeot flew higher and higher as the feathers on its head began to glow. Traces of sunlight were being absorbed into it.

"Is Pidgeot using SolarBeam, too?" asked Evan.

"But that's impossible!" replied Hillary. "Pidgeot can't learn SolarBeam!"

"Because it used Mirror Move," explained Veronica. "Mirror Move allows you to use the last attack your opponent used, just like a copycat mirrors whatever someone else is doing."

"Venusaur, use your Vine Whip attack to stop Pidgeot!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur shot two large vines from the flower on its back. But as long and powerful as they were, Pidgeot was still too high for the vines to get even close to it.

"Oh, no!" cried Tristan.

"Dive down on Venusaur and attack!" ordered Braden.

Pidgeot quickly dove down on Venusaur at blinding speed and landed on Venusaur's back. Then, using the power of the sunlight it absorbed, it shot a powerful white beam on it at such a close range that Venusaur couldn't do anything to stop it.

"Venusaur!" cried Tristan.

Venusaur's legs gave out and collapsed. It had been knocked out from that one SolarBeam.

Tristan quickly rushed over to Venusaur. "Are you okay, pal?" he asked.

Venusaur gave a weak, but happy reply.

"Thank you, Venusaur," said Tristan as he took out its Pokéball. "You deserve a good long rest."

A red energy beam shot from the Pokéball's center, transforming Venusaur into red energy as it shot back inside.

"How could Venusaur lose to a SolarBeam?" asked Hillary. "It's a Grass attack, isn't it?"

"That's true," answered Veronica. "Grass attacks normally don't do that much damage against Grass-types, but since Pidgeot used in on Venusaur at close range, the damage from Pidgeot's attack had such an effect that it threw Venusaur for a loop...literally."

"Okay, Braden, let's take this up to the skies!" said Tristan. He took out his second Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeot, I choose you!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (version 2 (as heard in "To Master the Onix-pected")))_

Tristan's Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"No way!" gasped Evan. "Tristan's got a Pidgeot, too?"

"It looks like you took my advice on Pidgeot, Tristan," remarked Braden. "But we came to have a battle, so Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!"

Braden's Pidgeot sped at Tristan's Pidgeot with a white line trailing behind it.

"Pidgeot, use your Quick Attack, too!" ordered Tristan.

Tristan's Pidgeot sped towards Braden's with a white line trailing behind it as well.

Both Pokémon collided against each other over and over again with neither side giving as much as an inch.

"They're both evenly matched," said Evan. "But I can't tell which Pidgeot's which!"

"Yes, it does seem that way," replied Veronica. "However, I think Tristan's Pidgeot will be the one likely to come out on top."

Both Pidgeot continued to collide over and over again.

"Both Pokémon are refusing to give up!" said Tristan. "This is great!"

"It's obvious that this battle is at a standstill," said Braden. "But I think it's time to turn the tide. Go, Pidgeot, use Wing Attack now!"

Braden's Pidgeot's wings glowed as it charged at Tristan's Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, Gust attack!" shouted Tristan.

Tristan's Pidgeot furiously flapped its wings and blew bursts of white energy so strong that Braden's Pidgeot was blown out of the sky and crashed into the ground.

"Come on, Pidgeot! You can do it!" encouraged Braden.

Braden's Pidgeot struggled to its feet, then it flapped its wings and flew back up into the sky, but it seemed to be flying much slower than normal.

"Okay, Pidgeot, we need to keep the pressure on before they can recover," said Tristan. "Use a barrage of Wing Attacks!"

Tristan's Pidgeot flew at Braden's Pidgeot with glowing wings. It struck Braden's Pidgeot again and again without letting up.

"Why can't Braden's Pidgeot fly away?" asked Evan worriedly.

Hillary looked up and saw the problem. "Guys, look at that!"

Sure enough, Braden's Pidgeot had a big bruise on its left wing, causing its movements in the sky to go much slower than normal.

"Oh, dear," said Veronica. "Braden's Pidgeot has an injured wing. Now we know whose Pidgeot is going to win."

"Go, Pidgeot, finish it off with your best Quick Attack now!" shouted Tristan.

Tristan's Pidgeot flew even faster at Braden's Pidgeot with a white line trailing behind it. Its speedy Quick Attack landed a direct hit with such force that Braden's Pidgeot was sent crashing to the ground.

Braden's Pidgeot had been knocked out from the crash.

Braden ran to Pidgeot. "Are you okay?" asked Braden.

Braden's Pidgeot gave a weak reply.

"You did your best, Pidgeot," said Braden as he returned his Pidgeot to his Pokéball. He turned to Tristan. "It looks like you're giving me a harder time than the Elite Four ever did. But this battle isn't over yet." He took out his third Pokéball and threw it. "Let's go, Butterfree!"

Braden's Butterfree emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Pidgeot, return!" called Tristan as he returned Pidgeot to its Pokéball.

Braden was confused. "Why are you switching Pidgeot out now? You still would've had the advantage."

"True," replied Tristan as he took out a Pokéball. "However, I think it'd be best if I went with somebody fresh this time. Charizard, I choose you!" He threw the Pokéball and Charizard emerged from it.

"A Charizard?" gasped Braden. "How in the world did you get that?"

"I got it from Bill near Cerulean City," answered Tristan. "I've trained it ever since it was a Charmander."

Charizard roared in agreement, then it hugged Tristan tightly to show its affection.

"Ugh! Charizard, you're squishing me!" strained Tristan.

"My, my," remarked Veronica. "Charizard seems to like Tristan very much."

"It sure does," added Eric

Evan and Braden were very confused.

Soon, Charizard put Tristan down and returned to the field to face Butterfree in battle.

"Next time, I should catch a Pokémon that knows about hugging more gently," said Tristan to himself.

"Butterfree, use your Sleep Powder!" commanded Braden.

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

Butterfree scattered a silvery powder, which was headed for Charizard.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth. Its Flamethrower attack not only neutralized the Sleep Powder, but also scored a direct hit on Butterfree as well.

"Butterfree!" cried Braden.

Butterfree had a dizzy expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out with just one attack.

"Wow, Charizard's really good!" remarked Evan. "That Flamethrower was red-hot!"

"That's because Fire attacks are super-effective on Bug-types like Butterfree," replied Hillary. "Charizard's Flamethrower didn't give Butterfree a chance to strike back."

Braden returned Butterfree to its Pokéball and took out his fourth one. "Go, Beedrill!"

Beedrill materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"I'm glad that Beedrill has Braden for a trainer because most of the Beedrill we encountered have attacked us without a care," said Hillary.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" commanded Braden.

Beedrill lunged at Charizard as it used its long conical stingers.

"Charizard, move away!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard quickly flew into the air and gained altitude, moving out of Beedrill's reach.

"Wow, that's fast!" gasped Braden. "Charizard's too far away!"

"Good, use another Flamethrower attack!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard roared from above as it shot another hot flame from its mouth, scorching Beedrill.

"Beedrill!" cried Braden.

Beedrill crashed into the ground with a dizzy expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out in one attack, just like Butterfree.

"That Charizard's really strong," remarked Eric.

"Yes, it does seem well-trained, doesn't it," replied Veronica.

"Will Braden still be able to win, Grandpa?" asked Evan.

"Well, I'm not sure," replied Eric. "Braden's had much more experience as a trainer, but Tristan seems to have trained his Pokémon long and hard during his journey. Tristan may have a big lead now, but the outcome seems far from certain."

"Go, Feraligatr!" shouted Braden as he threw his fifth Pokéball.

Feraligatr emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked ready for battle against a tough opponent.

Tristan became a little concerned. "I was afraid he'd do that," he said to himself.

"I hope you're ready for this, Tristan, because I've had a lot more experience with Feraligatr than you've ever known," said Braden. "Let's go, Feraligatr, Water Gun!"

 _(Music Cue: Rocket Powered Disaster)_

Feraligatr shot a powerful stream of water from its mouth at Charizard.

"Fly, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard flew up into the air, narrowly dodging Feraligatr's Water Gun.

"Now, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard fired a hot stream of fire from its mouth at Feraligatr.

"Feraligatr, douse it with Water Gun!" commanded Braden.

Feraligatr fired a powerful blast of water at Charizard's Flamethrower. Sure enough, Flamethrower was getting pushed back.

Tristan had no choice but to have Charizard dodge it. "Get away, Charizard!" he shouted.

Charizard stopped its attack and quickly flew away from Feraligatr's attack.

"Great dodge, Charizard," commended Tristan.

Charizard roared in reply.

"Pretty good on defense, but I'm afraid you won't win the battle that way," reminded Braden. "Feraligatr, use your Water Gun to stop Charizard!"

Feraligatr fired one blast of water after another from its mouth at Charizard while Charizard flew from side to side, narrowly dodging every one of Feraligatr's Water Gun attacks.

"Looks like Feraligatr's left Charizard at a complete standstill," said Hillary. "Charizard can't seem to find any room for launching an attack without getting hit."

"Yes, it would appear that Charizard is in a tight spot," replied Veronica. "That Feraligatr seems to be well-trained, too. But knowing Tristan, I've got a feeling that the many weeks of training in Celadon City will put him ahead.

Charizard continued to dodge Feraligatr's blasts of water as it flew from side to side. All the while, Charizard seemed to be flying lower and lower, hoping it could get a clear shot at Feraligatr from close up.

 _That's it, Charizard,_ thought Braden. _Come lower to the ground._

 _There has to be something I'm not thinking of,_ thought Tristan. _But what?_ Then, he noticed that Charizard had flown lower to the ground as it wanted to get a hit on Feraligatr from a close distance.

"Okay, Charizard, move in and use your Slash attack!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard dove down toward's Feraligatr, but that was the chance Braden was waiting for.

"Feraligatr, Bite attack!" ordered Braden.

Feraligatr opened its powerful jaws and bit down on Charizard hard, causing it to crash into the ground.

"Charizard!" gasped Tristan.

"Now, Feraligatr, blast it with your Water Gun!" shouted Braden.

Feraligatr released Charizard from its jaws and Charizard began to fly away. Feraligatr shot a powerful blast of water at Charizard, scoring a super-effective hit on it.

Charizard fell to the ground from the blast and collapsed. It had been knocked out.

"Oh, poor Charizard," said Hillary.

"Feraligatr had the advantage that time," added Eric. "Charizard couldn't find any room to attack without getting blasted.

"Charizard, return!" said Tristan as he called Charizard back to its Pokéball. He then held it close and said, "Good, job, Charizard. You've earned yourself a good rest."

Pikachu ran over to Tristan and asked him if it could battle Feraligatr.

"Sorry, Pikachu," replied Tristan. "I know you wanted to battle, but I think I have something else in mind.

Pikachu groaned, but somehow understood what Tristan was planning.

Tristan took out his next Pokéball and threw it. "Blastoise, I choose you!" he shouted.

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Compared to Feraligatr, it looked very strong.

"A Blastoise?" gasped Braden. "How in the world did you catch all three of those Pokémon?"

"It looks like Tristan is anxious to finish this up here and now," remarked Veronica. "Blastoise is one of the strongest Pokémon Tristan has."

"But why wait till now to use Blastoise?" wondered Evan.

"Well, Evan," replied Hillary, "I guess Tristan wanted to keep up the pressure just like the Elite Four have been doing."

Evan then understood what Hillary said.

"Oh, this is going to be such fun," said Eric. "Two fully evolved starter Pokémon going at it; that's what I call a great match-up.

"But remember, dear, that Blastoise could still have the advantage," reminded Veronica. "Feraligatr hasn't had as much training time with Braden as Blastoise has with Tristan."

"Feraligatr, Bite attack now!" yelled Braden.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

Feraligatr lunged at Blastoise with its jaws bared.

"Blastoise, Withdraw!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise's head and limbs disappeared into its shell.

As hard as Feraligatr tried to bite down hard on Blastoise, its shell proved to be a formidable match against it.

"Argh! That shell is too strong!" grunted Braden.

"Braden, you may have a Pokémon with good attacking teeth, but I have a Pokémon with a perfect defense," said Tristan.

"If using Bite attacks won't work, then, maybe this will!" said Braden. "Feraligatr, Water Gun!"

Feraligatr shot a blast of water from its mouth at Blastoise.

But Tristan knew how to counter that. "Blastoise, use Hydro Pump attack!"

Blastoise's head, limbs, and cannons shot back out of its shell, then using the cannons, it shot two powerful blasts of water from them, outmatching Feraligatr's Water Gun and scoring a direct hit on Feraligatr.

"Oh, no!" cried Braden.

Feraligatr collapsed to the ground from the Hydro Pump blast. It apparently was knocked out.

"I can't believe this!" exclaimed Braden. "Feraligatr's Water Gun was beaten by Hydro Pump! But how is that possible?"

"Blastoise's Hydro Pump has more power, for one thing," answered Tristan. "And another thing: we've been training for weeks without taking too much of a break."

Braden returned Feraligatr to its Pokéball and took out his last one. "I don't know if I'll be able to do this," he said doubtfully to himself as he threw his final Pokéball. "Go Gengar!"

Braden's Gengar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Gengar, Hypnosis!" commanded Braden.

Gengar's eyes glowed red as it tried to put Blastoise to sleep.

"Blastoise, use Dig!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise quickly jumped up and dug its way underground.

Braden was getting frustrated. "Argh! Hypnosis missed!" he grumbled.

"Now, Blastoise, attack!" shouted Tristan.

Suddenly, Blastoise emerged from the ground right under Gengar, scoring a direct hit on it and giving it serious damage.

"Gengar, hang on and use your Shadow Ball!" yelled Braden.

 _What's Shadow Ball,_ thought Tristan. He had never seen one in action before, but he knew hat it was a dangerous Ghost-type attack.

Gengar recovered and put its hands together as they began to spark up with blue electricity. Then, using all the power it had, it created a black ball and shot it at Blastoise.

"Well, now I know what a Shadow Ball attack looks like," said Tristan. "Okay, Blastoise, blast it with your Hydro Pump at full power!"

Blastoise shot two blasts of water from its cannons, but with much more destructive power.

For awhile, it looked like Hydro Pump and Shadow Ball were evenly matched, but then, Blastoise increased its power, causing Gengar's Shadow Ball to break as the blasts of water struck Gengar full force.

"Gengar!" cried Braden.

Gengar had fallen on the ground from Blastoise's powerful Hydro Pump; Gengar, Braden's last Pokémon, had been knocked out, causing him to lose the battle.

Evan looked on sadly. "Braden lost to Tristan," he said. "But how could that be?"

Braden returned Gengar to its Pokéball and fell on his knees. It was such an embarrassment that he lost to someone younger than him, especially a younger brother who knew much less about Pokémon than he did.

Tristan looked at Blastoise with satisfaction. "Thanks a lot, Blastoise."

Blastoise replied happily as it was returned to its Pokéball.

Tristan walked over to Braden and said to him, "That was a good battle."

"Yeah, so what?" grumbled Braden.

Tristan now felt sorry for Braden.

 _(Music Cue: Prayer)_

"Braden, you're being too hard on yourself," said Tristan. "Your Pokémon were really good. That Feraligatr was certainly a surprise. However, toward the end of our battle, I noticed that you were beginning to doubt yourself. Your Pokémon were beginning to sense that doubt. If your Pokémon sense that you doubt yourself, then they will doubt themselves, too. I believe that you'll be able to show a lot of potential if your clear your mind and trust in yourself, especially when taking on the Elite Four in the coming days."

"Tristan has a good point, dear," agreed Veronica to Braden. "I've had plenty of miserable battles back in my day, and I always got right back on my feet afterwards."

"Yeah, look at Tristan," added Hillary. "When Tristan lost to Blue in the Trainer House, he was beginning to doubt himself as a trainer, too, but a battle with Grandma helped him get right back into the action."

Braden looked up at Tristan. "You lost a tough battle, too?"

Tristan nodded. "Blue had trained his Jolteon well, and it was just a little too strong for my team to handle." He thought back to when his Blastoise, Lapras, and Pikachu were defeated by Jolteon's pulverizing Thunder attack. "When I lost that battle, I felt like a total loser, but I had a battle against Grandma the next day."

"How'd you do?" asked Braden.

"I used Pikachu against her Eevee, and I lost that one, too," answered Tristan. "But I didn't feel sorry for myself anymore. Do you know why? Because I knew Pikachu and I did our very best together, and we were having fun. We were battling as a team, and that's what every trainer needs to do, including you."

Braden understood what Tristan was saying.

"So it doesn't matter if anyone wins or loses a battle; you just have to do your best and have fun," said Evan.

Everyone agreed.

"Now, what do you say we take our Pokémon to the Pokémon Center?" suggested Tristan as he offered Braden his hand.

Braden took Tristan's hand and got right back up. "Okay," he said. "Thanks, Tristan."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Later at the Pokémon Center, everyone was sitting in the lobby waiting for Nurse Joy to come out with Tristan and Braden's Pokémon. Presently, Nurse Joy came out of the examination room with Pikachu and the Pokéballs in hand.

"Your Pokémon are all rested up and fighting fit!" smiled Nurse Joy.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Tristan and Braden together as they took back their Pokéballs from her.

Piakchu happily leaped into Tristan's arms.

"You know what, Tristan?" said Braden. "I'm going to train harder than ever before, and someday, I'll beat the Elite Four and the Champion and become one myself."

"I think you've got what it takes Braden," replied Tristan. "Keep at it."

"We'll all be rooting for you," added Hillary.

"So will I," agreed Evan.

"And so will we," added Veronica and Eric together.

"Thanks, guys," replied Braden. "My Pokémon and I will do our very best."

* * *

 _And so, with a battle against a sibling behind him, Tristan has reminded Braden of what self-confidence and hard training are all about as he thinks about the upcoming Pokémon League Competition at the Indigo Plateau._

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	52. Chapter 52: THE NAME OF THE FLAME

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 52 of the adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Professor Charles Goodshow and Giovanni from the anime make appearances in this chapter. As a reminder, I do NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names are trademarks of Nintendo. As always, please feel free to read and review, and remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Hillary are now waiting for the Pokémon League tournament to begin, but first, they'll have to find Moltres and its flame, or there will be no tournament! But why is Moltres attacking everyone and everything?**

 **Chapter 52: THE NAME OF THE FLAME**

 _Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu have finally arrived at the Indigo Plateau, site of the Pokémon League Competition. They seem to be very excited for this special event, including their grandparents, Veronica and Eric._

"Thanks for taking us here, guys," said Tristan to his grandparents, Veronica and Eric. "I can hardly wait to compete."

"We can hardly wait to see you compete," replied Veronica.

"Listen up, kids, we'll be staying over at the hotel until the opening ceremonies," said Eric. "Tristan, you can use this time to prepare by training as much as possible before the league begins."

"I will," replied Tristan.

"And I'll make sure he does," added Hillary.

"Goodbye, kids," called Veronica as she and Eric began to leave. "We'll see you again soon!"

"Bye, Grandma! Bye, Grandpa!" called Tristan and Hillary. They and Pikachu waved until Veronica and Eric were out of sight.

"Well, what do you say we get started?" suggested Tristan. "After all, I don't have a lot of time before the tournament begins."

"Great idea," replied Hillary.

Suddenly, multiple Officer Jennies in police attire came running by, and they were in a really big hurry.

Tristan and Hillary tried to ask one of them what's going on.

"Officer Jenny, what's happening?" asked Tristan to one of them.

But the Officer Jenny he asked was already gone.

"Can you tell me..." began Hillary, but the other Officer Jenny she asked was gone, too.

Tristan and Hillary were confused.

"I wish I knew what was going on here," said Hillary.

Presently, an old man with long white hair and a bead came running by. He wore green shorts, a red short-sleeved shirt, and a blue baseball cap. "This is awful! This is terrible!" he cried.

Tristan tried to stop him. "Excuse me, sir, what's going on?"

"I don't have time to answer that, young man!" called the man. "But Moltres is missing, and I need to find it! Otherwise, we can't start the Pokémon League Competition!" And he ran off to catch up with the many Officer Jennies.

"Moltres is missing?" repeated Hillary. "I wonder why it's such a big deal."

"Hmmm," said Tristan as he took out his Pokédex. "I'm going to check to see what Dexter has to say about Moltres." He pushed a few buttons on his Pokédex and found Moltres' entry.

 _"Moltres: The Flame Pokémon,"_ said Dexter. _"Moltres is known as the 'Legendary Bird of Fire.' Every flap of its wings creates a dazzling flash_ _of flames. The virtues of this Legendary Pokémon symbolize the Pokémon League Competitions."_

Tristan and Hillary gasped in horror because they knew that there would be no competition if there was no sign of Moltres or its flame.

Presently, a purple bipedal catlike Pokémon descended from the sky.

"It's Mewtwo!" said Tristan excitedly.

"It's nice to see you!" added Hillary. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help," replied Mewtwo. "I need you both to come with me for just a minute." And it used its Psychic powers to lift Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu into the air. A hole opened up in the sky and they all disappeared into it as it closed behind them.

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu opened their eyes and noticed that they were in familiar territory.

"It's the Chamber of Legends!" gasped Tristan.

"But why are we here of all places?" asked Hillary.

"I brought you here because I need your help to find a missing Legendary Pokémon," answered Mewtwo. "This is the Pokémon." And it showed them an image of what it looked like. It had red and pink flames on its wings, forehead, and tail.

"Hey, that's Moltres!" gasped Hillary.

"It's the same one that the old man just mentioned!" added Tristan.

"That's right," replied Mewtwo. "I saw that Moltres was missing in your world. Your task is to find Moltres, befriend it, and bring it back to the Indigo Plateau so that your Pokémon League tournament can begin. Of course, I don't see what the reason is for me to compete."

"Well, I managed to collect eight badges," said Tristan.

"That's your accomplishment," said Mewtwo. It clearly wasn't interested in collecting badges like most trainers were. "Besides, I'd crush any Trainer in no time flat."

"I'm sure Tristan didn't mean to offend you, Mewtwo," said Hillary innocently.

"I know," replied Mewtwo. It was feeling remorseful. "However, you two need to find Moltres and bring it to the Indigo Plateau so the competition in your world can begin. Besides, you may get a new friend to add to the friends you have here in the Chamber of Legends."

"Leave it to us, Mewtwo," said Hillary.

"We're on the job," added Tristan.

"Thank you," replied Mewtwo. "Best of luck."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all glowed in a white color, then they disappeared into thin air.

* * *

They found themselves back at the Indigo Plateau a moment later.

"I don't know where to begin, Tristan," said Hillary. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Finding Moltres isn't going to be easy," replied Tristan. "But maybe we can help by searching from the sky."

"How do we do that?" asked Hillary.

"Like this," answered Tristan as he took out two Pokéballs and threw them. "Charizard, Pidgeot, I choose you!"

Charizard and Pidgeot materialized from the white lights that shot out of the balls.

"We need you two to help us find Moltres," instructed Tristan. "Could you give us a ride, please?"

Charizard and Pidgeot nodded. They were happy to have passengers flying along with them, so they crouched down.

"Hillary, you can ride on Pidgeot," said Tristan.

"Okay," replied Hillary.

Tristan and Hillary got on Charizard and Pidgeot, respectively. Pikachu got on with Tristan.

"Ready, guys?" asked Tristan.

"Ready!" called Hillary.

Charizard, Pidgeot, and Pikachu all nodded.

"Then let's go!" said Tristan.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu held on tight as Charizard and Pidgeot flapped their wings, then they all took off into the sky.

* * *

Even though they were enjoying the view in the air, Tristan and Hillary weren't having much luck finding Moltres in the first hour of flying.

"We've been searching for Moltres for awhile now," said Hillary. "What do we do?"

"I think it would be best to split up," suggested Tristan. "That way if one of us finds Moltres first, we'll bring it back to the Indigo Plateau."

"Okay, let's do it," replied Hillary.

Hillary and Pidgeot flew off to the north while Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard flew to the south.

* * *

Meanwhile in a secret location far away, a man in an orange suit was looking proudly at his latest catch inside a cage. The man was Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket.

Inside the cage sat a large avian Pokémon with gold plumage. It had red and pink flames on its head, wings, and tail. It was Moltres, and it was very miserable.

Giovanni had seized Moltres to have it carry out his latest plan. "Ah, Moltres, how you wish to be free," smiled Giovanni. "It's such a pity that you'll have to attack anything that stands in your way; however, that's the price you pay when you get caught by evil people." He chuckled evilly, then inserted a device around Moltres' neck. "I promise you won't feel a thing as long as you obey my commands." Sparks sizzled around the device as it was put into place. He opened the cage. "Now, Moltres, go and spread terror. Show the world your absolute power."

Moltres opened its eyes, which glowed in a red color. It screeched and flew out of the building into the sky.

Giovanni smiled wickedly as he watched the TV. He saw Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard flying in the sky in one direction. "This is a perfect opportunity to get rid of that kid once and for all." Then he saw Hillary and Pidgeot flying in a different direction on a different monitor. "What's this? So, the kids have split up. Seizing victory is going to be more interesting than I thought."

* * *

Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard continued to fly through the air in search of Moltres in the hopes of finding it before the opening day.

"We just have to find it," said Tristan. "The Pokémon League won't be able to start without it."

Just then, Pikachu spotted something flying toward them.

"What do you see, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon)_

The approaching object was coming toward them at tremendous speed. It had red and pink flames on its wings, head, and tail.

"It's Moltres!" said Tristan excitedly. "Let's go meet it."

Little did they know that they were flying straight into danger.

Giovanni watched them fly toward Moltres on his monitor. "Now, I've got you, you fools," he smiled wickedly. He spoke into the microphone. "Moltres, attack!"

Moltres immediately shot a searing Flamethrower from its beak at Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard.

"Quick, dodge it!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard quickly flew higher as Tristan and Pikachu held on tight.

They then confronted Moltres.

"Hey, what did you attack us for?!" asked Tristan.

Moltres shot another powerful Flamethrower at Charizard.

"Charizard, counterattack with your Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard shot a powerful stream of fire at Moltres' Flamethrower.

The two Flamethrowers collided, creating a tremendous explosion in the sky.

Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard once again confronted Moltres.

"Moltres, please, you have to listen to us," implored Tristan. "We're not your enemies. We just want you to be friends with us. We need you to be with us at the Indigo Plateau."

But Moltres wasn't listening. It shot another Flamethrower at Charizard to show its power.

"Dodge it now, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard quickly flew higher with Tristan and Pikachu hanging on tight, but that was the opening Moltres needed to get away.

"Now where's Moltres going?" asked Tristan nervously. "Charizard, go after it!"

Chrizard flew after Moltres just as it Moltres continued to shoot multiple Flamethrower attacks in the forest below. A forest fire soon ignited from the attacks, and there were Pokémon on the ground that were desperately trying to get away from the approaching fire as fast as they could.

As Tristan watched, he saw the fire get bigger by the second. "This is bad!" he said. "Moltres' Flamethrower must have caused that fire to go out of control in the forest. Come on, Charizard! We need to get down there now!"

Charizard dove down toward the ground. As soon as it landed, Tristan and Pikachu jumped off of Charizard.

"Blastoise, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw its Pokéball.

Blastoise emerged from the ball and awaited Tristan's directions.

"Blastoise, use your Hydro Pump attack to put out that fire!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise shot two powerful blasts of water at the large fire as dozens of Pokémon fled from it.

"Charizard, I need you to help out and get the residing Pokémon to safety," instructed Tristan.

Charizard roared and flew off to find as many Pokémon as possible as fast as it could. It could resist a little forest fire easily since it was a Fire-type.

Many more Pokémon came to Tristan and Blastoise as Charizard quickly and safely carried the small Pokémon in its arms. All the while, Blastoise was making good progress putting out that fire.

"Great job, guys," said Tristan. "Keep up the good work." Then he thought, _If Moltres is attacking everyone and everything, then I've got a bad feeling that everyone is going to be in major trouble. And I don't have much time to figure out why. I just hope Hillary isn't in any danger right now._

* * *

Meanwhile, Hillary and Pidgeot were still searching for Moltres in the air.

"Do you see any sign of Moltres, Pidgeot?" asked Hillary.

Pidgeot shook its head.

"Well, we'll just have to keep looking," said Hillary.

Suddenly, a Flamethrower shot out of nowhere at Pidgeot from behind.

Pidgeot sensed the attack coming and quickly flew higher as Hillary barely hung on.

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos)_

They turned around to see Moltres staring directly at them, and it wasn't happy to see them.

"It's that same Moltres that the old man and Mewtwo were talking about!" gasped Hillary. Then she looked at Moltres. "Hey, hot beak! Watch where you shoot your Flamethrower!"

Moltres was offended by the latest remark that Hillary made and prepared to shoot a hotter Flamethrower than the last one.

"I don't think it likes the insult," said Hillary.

Moltres shot its Flamethrower again, only hotter and faster this time.

"Quick, Pidgeot, you've gotta dodge it!" shouted Hillary.

Pidgeot flew higher and easily dodged Moltres' Flamethrower.

Meanwhile in his secret location, Giovanni watched with satisfaction. "It looks like I'll soon have my first victim," he said. "There's no way the girl and that Pidgeot will be able to survive this. And I know just how to make her defenseless." He spoke into the microphone and commanded, "Now, Moltres, let's have a little fun with the girl."

Moltres flew above Pidgeot and disappeared from Hillary's view.

"Where'd it go?" asked Hillary as she frantically searched for it. Suddenly, she felt herself being picked up off of Pidgeot's back.

Moltres had used its talons to grab her!

"Aaah! Pidgeot, help!" cried Hillary. She struggled in vain to break free from Moltres' grip. "Let me go, you hot-tempered Pokémon!"

Pidgeot squawked angrily at Moltres and launched a Quick Attack. Despite Motres' flames on its wings, head, and tail, Pidgeot successfully scored a direct hit on it, causing it to lose its grip on Hillary.

Hillary screamed as she fell.

Judging the speed of Hillary's fall, Pidgeot quickly dove down and caught her safely on its back.

"Whoa, that was a close one!" said Hillary. "Thanks a lot, Pidgeot."

Pidgeot replied happily as it flew higher to catch up with Moltres.

Moltres shot another Flamethrower, but Pidgeot managed to dodge it.

"I don't understand why Moltres is attacking us for no reason," said Hillary.

Moltres shot multiple Flamethrower attacks, but Pidgeot did many evasive maneuvers in the sky as Hillary clung on for dear life.

That was when Hillary noticed something around its neck. It had the letter R on it. "So, Team Rocket's behind this!" she fumed. "I should've known they'd try something that low!" As she spoke, she felt the heat of another Flamethrower close in on her. "Pidgeot, watch out!"

Pidgeot and Hillary flew higher to avoid Moltres' Flamethrower. Moltres had apparently tried a sneak attack on the two of them.

Giovanni watched them through his monitor. "All right, Moltres, I think they've had enough," he said through the microphone. "It's time to make yourself known, so go to the Indigo Plateau and spread fear to the citizens."

Moltres screeched and flew off to carry out Giovanni's commands.

"Well, I hope we've seen the last of that thing," said Hillary to Pidgeot.

Pidgeot agreed with her.

Suddenly, Hillary noticed a thick layer of smoke coming from below. She knew what it was and gasped in horror. "Moltres' Flamethrower must have started a wildfire!" she cried. "Come on, Pidgeot, let's hurry!"

Pidgeot squawked and dove down toward the fire. It landed and Hillary immediately dismounted.

Hillary then saw numerous Pokémon fleeing from the approaching fire. "Moltres has been causing a lot of trouble for the Pokémon, too."

Suddenly, a burning tree branch dropped from a tree above and was headed straight toward Hillary!

Pidgeot squawked loudly to alert her, but a timely Hydro Pump attack blasted the tree branch out of the way.

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 (M01B)_

Presently, Blastoise arrived on the scene followed by a distant roar followed by the arrival of Charizard.

"It's Blastoise and Charizard!" said Hillary excitedly. "Boy, are we happy to see you!"

Blastoise and Charizard gladly gave a reply.

"Hillary!" called a voice.

Hillary knew it instantly. "It's Tristan and Pikachu!"

Sure enough, Tristan and Pikachu met up with his other Pokémon and came to Hillary.

"Did you find Moltres yet?" asked Tristan.

"We found it, all right," replied Hillary. "It attacked us and it nearly separated me from Pidgeot."

"Same as us," said Tristan. "If it wanted to attack you and me, I've got a sneaking suspicion of who's behind it all."

"Team Rocket," answered Hillary. "Apparently, there's some weird gadget they've attached around its neck."

"I knew it," replied Tristan. He was clearly disgusted. "And if we don't stop it, then there's gonna be more trouble."

"But first, we have to put out this massive fire," said Hillary.

"Lapras can help us with that," replied Tristan as he took out his Pokéball. "Lapras, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Title Screen 1997-1998 (M01C)_

Lapras materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Lapras, Blastoise, put out the fire with Hydro Pump!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth while Blastoise shot two of them from its cannons. The two combined their attacks, and sure enough, the fire was put out in no time.

"Now, on to the issue at hand," said Tristan. "Did you get a good look at where Moltres was going?"

"I thought I saw it headed north, but I'm not sure," replied Hillary.

"We really have to hurry, then," said Tristan. "I'm afraid of what Moltres could do if we don't stop it." He returned Blastoise and Lapras to their Pokéballs as he and Pikachu mounted Charizard.

Hillary mounted Pidgeot. But then, she said, "Wait a minute! If Moltres is headed north, does that mean...?"

"Grandma and Grandpa!" they gasped together.

"To the Indigo Plateau, guys!" commanded Tristan. "And step on it!"

Charizard and Pidgeot spread their wings and they all took off into the sky, racing to the Indigo Plateau as fast as they could.

* * *

Meanwhile, the residents of the Indigo Plateau, including Veronica and Eric, were looking at souvenirs at the stands.

"What do you say, dear? Does this flame replica make me look hot?" asked Eric.

"It sure does, Eric," smiled Veronica.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle)_

Presently, they saw Moltres flying overhead, and it was getting ready to attack.

"Boy, that Pokémon is really making things hot here," remarked Eric. "I can really feel the heat."

Moltres shot a powerful Flamethrower attack at Veronica, Eric, and the stands.

"Never mind that! RUN!" shouted Veronica as she dragged Eric away from Moltres' incoming Flamethrower attack just in time.

The people managed to get away from the stands before they got burned.

Presently, air raid sirens began to go off all over the Indigo Plateau.

Officer Jenny made an announcement on her bullhorn. "Attention all residents and visitors. We have a Pokémon that has gone berserk at the Indigo Plateau. Evacuate immediately. I repeat: evacuate immediately. This is NOT a drill."

All the residents began to scurry away as Moltres fired Flamethrower attacks at them.

Fortunately, none of the attacks hit the civilians.

Veronica and Eric managed to get to a safe spot as they continued to look on at Moltres.

"What in the world is that thing?" asked Eric.

"I think it's a Moltres," answered Veronica. "It's a Legendary Pokémon not soon to be forgotten. Its legendary flame symbolizes the Pokémon League Competitions from what I've heard. I've been fortunate enough to encounter a Moltres on my travels, but I've never seen one attacking innocent people before. Something must be going on."

"Can't you do something to stop it?" asked Eric.

"But what can I do?" replied Veronica. "Even with all five of my Eevee attacking it all at once, they wouldn't stand a chance against a Pokémon that powerful. Besides, they can't fly while Moltres can."

Moltres continued to fire its Flamethrower mercilessly at the fleeing residents. Things took a turn for the worse, for while one man was running away from Moltres' attacks, he tripped and fell on the ground, injuring his leg.

Veronica quickly rushed to his aid. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

"I can't move!" he groaned. "My leg won't let me!"

"Eric, I need your help over here!" shouted Veronica. "I can't move this guy on my own!"

Eric rushed to help Veronica and the man just as Moltres got ready for another attack.

Veronica, Eric, and the man all knew they wouldn't be able to avoid Moltres' Flamethrower attack this time.

Moltres shot its most powerful Flamethrower attack at the three of them, but another Flamethrower from out of nowhere blocked Moltres' attack.

Veronica and Eric turned around to see Charizard and Pidgeot, who had shown up just in time. Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were with them.

"It's our grandchildren!" cried Veronica.

"And timely grandchildren, too," added Eric.

Hillary turned to Tristan. "It looks like Grandma and Grandpa could use some help with that man down there."

"All right, Hillary," replied Tristan. "You and Pidgeot should go help them to safety. Charizard, Pikachu, and I will distract Moltres and destroy that thing around its neck. Now, let's hurry."

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (as heard in "Pokémon Double Trouble"))_

"We're on the job," said Hillary. And she and Pidgeot raced down to the ground to help the others.

"Let's go, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard roared and flew higher to catch up with Moltres.

Pidgeot landed on the ground and Hillary immediately jumped off its back.

"Are you okay, guys?" asked Hillary.

"We're fine," answered Veronica. "But I'm afraid this poor man may have sprained his ankle."

"Let's get somewhere safe," said Hillary. "Pidgeot, can you help carry this man to the Pokémon Center?"

Pidgeot replied and gently picked up the man by its talons.

"Come on, guys, let's follow them," advised Hillary. And she led Veronica and Eric to follow Pidgeot.

Meanwhile, Moltres was shooting off Flamethrower attacks at Charizard, but Charizard easily managed to avoid them as Tristan and Pikachu held on tight.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower attack!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard fired a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at Moltres, but Moltres flew higher to dodge it.

Moltres counterattacked by using a Flamethrower attack of its own.

"Dodge it!" shouted Tristan.

Charizard quickly dove down to avoid Moltres' attack.

The battle between both flying Fire-type Pokémon was evenly matched. Neither one couldn't seem to get in the necessary hit to finish the battle.

Giovanni was starting to lose his patience from his secret location. "What are you doing, Moltres?! Attack that kid now!"

It was then that Tristan heard what was going on from that device. He knew whose voice it was. "So, it was Giovanni!" he fumed. Then he had an idea. "Charizard, I'm going to need your help to keep Moltres distracted. Then, Pikachu, you'll jump on Moltres and destroy that device."

Charizard and Pikachu understood their instructions.

"Charizard, Fire Spin now!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard shot another flame from its mouth and struck Moltres, but this time, Moltres was surround by a wall of fire so it couldn't fly away.

"Okay, your turn, Pikachu," said Tristan. "Jump onto Moltres and use your Thunderbolt attack!"

Pikachu jumped off of Charizard and landed neatly onto Moltres. Then, grabbing onto the device, it launched a powerful electric attack at it and Moltres, destroying the device.

Moltres' eyes stopped glowing red and it immediately stopped attacking. It didn't remember what it was doing in the first place.

"We did it!" cheered Tristan. "Great job, guys!"

Pikachu and Charizard gave happy replies.

"Hey, Moltres, are you okay?" called Tristan.

Moltres gave a happy reply. It was happy to be free as a bird again.

"Thank goodness," sighed Tristan. "Now all we have to do is get Moltres' flame to the old man, and we'll finally be able to participate in the Pokémon League."

Meanwhile in his secret location, Giovanni grumbled at his latest defeat, but somehow smiled. "That kid is much more resourceful than I thought. This will make things a lot more interesting in the future."

* * *

Some time later, Moltres was flying alongside Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard, who were all headed to the Pokémon Center. Presently, Mewtwo appeared flying alongside them all.

"Hi, Mewtwo," said Tristan. "We found Moltres. It was controlled by Team Rocket, so that's why it was missing."

"I see," replied Mewtwo as it spoke telepathically. "Well done. I knew you and Hillary could do it."

"We couldn't have done it without our Pokémon friends here," added Tristan. He turned to Moltres. "Hey, Moltres, after that experience, I know you'll want to be friends with us, right?"

Moltres nodded. It knew that Tristan went to great lengths to free it from Team Rocket's control.

"Then it's settled," said Mewtwo. "You now have a new legendary friend you can use in case you run into any trouble."

"Thanks a lot," replied Tristan.

"And I have something for you," added Mewtwo as it psychically made a lantern appear.

Tristan marveled at it. "This'll be the perfect place for Moltres' flame." He turned to Moltres. "Hey, Moltres, do you think you can gently light the flame on this lantern?"

Moltres nodded and used a gentle Flamethrower to light up the lantern.

Then, Tristan sealed up the lantern and took it by the handle.

"Thanks a lot, guys," said Tristan to Mewtwo and Moltres.

"We should thank you," replied Mewtwo. "I don't know what we could have done without you. You can use that flame for your tournament. Good luck." And with that, Mewtwo and Moltres flew off into the distance as Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard looked on.

* * *

"Hey!" called Tristan as he made his way back to Hillary, Veronica, and Eric in front of the Pokémon Center sometime later. "I got Moltres' flame!"

 _(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

Sure enough, he had Moltres' flame in hand, and it was safe and sound inside the lantern he was carrying.

"Yeah, way to go, Tristan!" replied Hillary.

"We'll be sure to give this to the old man," said Tristan.

"That's our first priority," added Hillary.

"And what about _my_ first priority?" asked a voice.

Tristan and Hillary turned around to see the old man from earlier. "I see that you have safely obtained Moltres' flame safe and sound. Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome, sir," replied Tristan. Then he realized whom he was talking with. "You're the man we saw before!"

The old man chuckled. "There isn't a person who's seen me at least once who doesn't remember what I look like."

"We never got to introduce ourselves," added Hillary. "My name's Hillary, and this is my older brother, Tristan."

"Well, you kids are in for a big surprise yourselves," said the man. "I am known as the honorable Professor Charles Goodshow, president of the Pokémon League Torch Committee. And I see that you two have energetic spirits. Are you both planning to participate in the Pokémon League tournament?"

"I am, anyway," answered Tristan.

"Well, how would you two like to be honorable torch bearers and run with the torch to the Indigo Stadium for the opening ceremonies?" asked Professor Goodshow.

"We'd love to, Professor Goodshow!" answered Tristan excitedly. He turned to Hillary. "Do you hear that, Hillary? We get to run with the torch with Moltres' flame to the opening ceremonies at the Indigo Stadium."

"It's a real honor," said Hillary.

Pikachu agreed.

"I'm looking forward to your finest efforts in the coming days," smiled Professor Goodshow. "Bye for now!" And he left to prepare for the tournament.

Veronica and Eric stood proudly looking at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

"I think we raised our grandchildren quite well," smiled Veronica.

"You said it, dear," replied Eric. "And I have a feeling that the kids and Pikachu have raised each other quite well, too."

* * *

 _And so, with the Pokémon League Competition just days away, Tristan and Hillary have helped secure Moltres' flame, and the tournament can now proceed as scheduled. Now, Tristan just has to train hard in what little time he has left so he and his Pokémon can be well rested for the big tournament. How will Tristan do? With nonstop thrilling battle action on everyone's minds, you've just got to stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	53. Chapter 53

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 53 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Tristan and Hillary's grandparents, Veronica and Eric, as well as Professor Charles Goodshow from the anime make appearances in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and review. And remember, feedback of any kind is always welcome. And, if you have any suggestions, please feel free to message me.**

 **TEASER: The day of the opening ceremonies has finally arrived, but an unfortunate accident causes the stadium to go up in flames! Will the whole competition go up in smoke?**

 **Chapter 53: THE FIREPOWER**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Enter the Dragonite"))_

 _After many days of training, the long-anticipated Pokémon League competition is about to begin. Today, he, Hillary, and Pikachu are taking a last-minute run to build up their stamina._

"This is a great way to get in shape," said Tristan as he and Hillary ran on the streets early one morning. "Professor Goodshow expects us to be in great shape, and he's counting on us to carry the torch to Indigo Stadium. I have to be in shape so my entire team will be in shape, too."

"I agree," replied Hillary. "And even though I won't be competing, I feel that all this running is pushing me to be at my best, too."

Pikachu also agreed.

Tristan and Hillary continued to run on the streets as they thought about the upcoming tournament.

* * *

After Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu finished their run, they made their way back to the Pokémon Center and got some ice-cold water.

"Ah, that sure feels good!" said Tristan.

"I agree," added Hillary. "Let's register for the competition."

"Good idea," replied Tristan. "The last thing I need on my mind is to be too late to register."

They quickly made their way to the reception desk where Nurse Joy was waiting for them.

"Hi, there," greeted Nurse Joy. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center. May I help you?"

"I'd like to make sure my Pokémon are in good shape for the competition," replied Tristan.

"I'll take a look at them right away," said Nurse Joy as she took Pikachu and Tristan's five Pokéballs with her to the examination room.

Presently, Veronica and Eric arrived at the Pokémon Center. "Hello, kids," they said.

"Hi, there!" replied Tristan and Hillary together.

"So, are you ready for the tournament?" asked Veronica.

"Almost," answered Tristan. "Right now, I'm having my Pokémon in for a little checkup just to make sure they're ready for the competition."

"I can hardly wait to see the battles in this competition," added Eric.

"Your grandparents aren't the only ones who can hardly wait," said a voice.

Everyone turned around to see Professor Goodshow arriving.

"Hi, Professor Goodshow!" said Hillary. "What brings you here?"

"I'm just checking in and wandering around," replied Professor Goodshow. "With the Pokémon League just one day away and the running with the torch just hours away, I wanted to make sure to give you some pointers on how this competition will work."

"So how does this tournament work?" asked Tristan.

"This tournament, formally known as the Indigo Plateau Conference, has many battles, and is composed of 256 trainers," explained Professor Goodshow. "Trainers will need to emerge on four different varieties of fields: grass, rock, water, and ice, in order to qualify for the final rounds in the Indigo Stadium. Matches on the four fields will consist of three-on-three battles as well as the first matches in the Indigo Stadium. Trainers making it into the final eight and up will participate in full six-on-six battles, making every trainer's strategy all the more important. Furthermore, if you switch Pokémon in the middle of a battle, it will be considered out of the match, and you won't be able to use it again for the duration of the battle."

"That's going to make these battles even tougher for you, Tristan," said Hillary. "So every team you put together will be very important, especially if you want to attain victory."

"And that means you'll have to adapt to not only the battlefield you're battling on, but also the Pokémon you're battling against," added Veronica.

"I can do it all," said Tristan. He was feeling very confident.

"That's the spirit," replied Professor Goodshow. "I love a trainer who has spirit. And that's just what this competition is all about."

Presently, the recovery signal rang as Nurse Joy emerged from the examination room with Pikachu and Tristan's five Pokéballs. "Your Pokémon are all ready to go, Tristan," she said.

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan as Pikachu happily leaped back on Tristan's shoulder. "What do you say, Pikachu? Are you ready to win?"

"Pikachu!" replied Pikachu. It was very excited, indeed.

"Then let's get ready for the running of the torch!" smiled Professor Goodshow.

* * *

Tristan and Hillary quickly switched into their gym clothes as they prepared to run with the torch. They met Professor Goodshow, their grandparents, and Officer Jenny outside the Pokémon Center. They both knew that Moltres' flame was very important for two reasons: One, without it, the Pokémon League couldn't begin, and two, Mewtwo and Moltres had entrusted it to them as a sign of their gratitude for helping them earlier.

"Now we just have to decide which one of you will go first," said Professor Goodshow. "And it starts with a coin." The coin had Magikarp on one side for heads and a Pokéball on the other side for tails. "Whoever calls it right will carry the flame first while the other party rests. It's all about taking turns."

"Well, sis, we both know that we'll each carry it at some point," said Tristan. "I call heads."

"Then I call tails," said Hillary.

Professor Goodshow flipped the coin into the air. It landed neatly in his hand Pokéball side up. "Looks like it's tails," he said.

"That means I'll go first," said Hillary.

"You can do it," said Tristan.

"Good luck," said Veronica and Eric together.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Depart to the Pokémon Castle)_

A few moments later, the running of the torch got underway.

Hillary ran in front with the torch in hand while everyone else rode on the top of the van behind her.

Tristan was impressed with Hillary's stamina as he saw her run. _She'd be a really good trainer someday,_ he thought.

The residents were watching the action from the sidewalks as everyone drove by.

When they were halfway to Indigo Stadium, Hillary passed the torch flame to Tristan and Pikachu, who ran in Hillary's place while she rested on top of the van.

A little while later, Indigo Stadium began to come into view.

"Is that where the Pokémon League will be held, Professor Goodshow?" asked Hillary.

"Exactly," answered Professor Goodshow. "It's empty now, but tomorrow, during the opening ceremonies, it will be filled to capacity as the central torch in the stadium will be lit."

"Tristan and I see why the flame is so important," said Hillary.

"It sounds like you two understand the responsibility quite well," replied Professor Goodshow.

A crowd of people waited to see Tristan and Pikachu arrive with the torch in hand. They cheered as they made it through the finish line.

Professor Goodshow, Veronica, Eric, and Hillary climbed off the van to greet him.

"Here is the flame of Moltres, just like we promised," said Tristan as he handed the torch over to Professor Goodshow.

"Thank you," replied Professor Goodshow. "You and Hillary gave us a great show today. I trust that you'll be present at the opening ceremonies tomorrow?"

"Yes," answered Tristan and Hillary together.

Professor Goodshow smiled. He knew he made the right decision in allowing Tristan and Hillary to run with the torch as the crowd continued to cheer and applaud them.

* * *

That evening, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, along with their grandparents, Veronica and Eric, found their way to the Pokémon League Village.

"This must be where trainers stay during the competition," said Hillary.

"It sure is, dear," replied Veronica. "I remember staying in this place many years ago, but they've certainly made quite a few updates since I was here last."

"Plus, trainers receive free food and lodging during the competition," added Eric.

"You mean the food's free?" asked Tristan. He was really excited now. "All right, let's go!" And he dashed off.

"Tristan, where are you going?" called Hillary.

"To find a restaurant!" answered Tristan.

"But you don't know where it is!" shouted Hillary.

That was when Tristan stopped. It was true: he didn't know where the cafeteria was.

Fortunately, Veronica did. "I think you'd better follow me instead," she said.

And everyone else followed her.

* * *

The restaurant was full of many good things to eat. Tristan grabbed dish after dish of delicious food.

"There's definitely nothing wrong with Tristan's appetite tonight," remarked Hillary.

Both Veronica and Eric agreed as they grabbed their dishes, too.

In no time at all, everyone was happily digging in to the food they got. They all agreed that it was good

"It's just as I remember it," said Veronica. "I guess the next generation of chefs is just as good as the chefs I knew back in the day."

"The food may be good, but from what I've heard, Tristan will be up against some really tough trainers," added Eric.

"I'll be okay," replied Tristan. "And I'll try not to be overconfident."

"Just do your best, and you'll be a winner, no matter what," added Hillary.

"Thanks a lot, guys," replied Tristan

* * *

The next morning, the opening ceremonies of the Pokémon League Competition were about to get underway. Indigo Stadium was filled to capacity with spectators. Hillary, Veronica, Eric, and Professor Goodshow had front row seats as they waited for the Trainers to make their appearance.

"When will the Trainers show up, Professor Goodshow?" asked Hillary.

"I'd say right about now," answered Professor Goodshow.

Sure enough, many trainers were starting to arive in the stadium. One by one, they lined up.

Presently, Veronica saw Tristan and Pikachu in the crowd. "There's Tristan and Pikachu!" she said excitedly.

Tristan and Pikachu entering the stadium. They looked a little nervous, but took in deep breaths to keep their focus.

An annoumcer's voice blared through the stadium's loudspeakers. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to Indigo Stadium at the Indigo Plateau, where this year's exciting Pokémon League Competition is about to begin! To compete here, trainers need to show their fighting spirit here by traveling to Gyms all over the region and earning eight Gym badges from the respective Gym Leaders. And it looks like this year's trainers have done just that."

Professor Goodshow smiled as he looked on. This was the thing that always made him happy: a crowd of trainers with boundless spirit.

"And now, we await the arrival of our torch runner, who will light up the central torch, thus beginning the Pokémon League Competition!" boomed the announcer.

"Where's the central torch?" asked Hillary.

"At the top of those ateps," replied Professor Goodshow as he pointed to the top of the platform.

Presently, a man in gym clothes entered the stadium and proceeded to the top of the steps, two at a time, to light the central torch.

"I can hardly wait," said Hillary. "This is so exciting!"

Unfortunately, at that moment, the man tripped on the stairs and fell. He wasn't hurt, but his fall caused him to lose his grip on the torch.

"Oh, no!" cried Professor Goodshow. "The torch!"

Trainers and spectators alike gasped in shock.

"Unbelievable!" shouted the announcer. "The torch runner has had an unfortunate accident, and now the torch has been sent skyward!"

The torch kept falling from the sky. Every trainer in the stadium did their best to catch it, but they kept running into one another.

The torch landed at the foot of the stairs flame first, causing a major conflagration.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation (Kanto) as heard in "Volcanic Panic")_

The result was instant panic.

"Oh, no!" gasped Hillary. "That fire must've ignited when the torch fell on the ground!"

"Without the flame of Moltres, we'll never be able to start the competition!" added Professor Goodshow.

Every trainer in the stadium screamed and fled from the scene in fear as fast as they could, but Tristan and Pikachu, brave as ever, stayed behind because they wanted to make sure everyone else got out of there first.

"That's it, guys, keep it moving!" encouraged Tristan.

Every one of the trainers quickly made their way to safety a short time later, but the massive fire grew with every passing second.

"Tristan, get out of there, quick!" cried Hillary.

But it was too late, for the fire had grown so big so fast that Tristan and Pikachu couldn't find an opening big enough to get away in time. They were now trapped.

"Now what do we do?" asked Veronica. "Tristan doesn't stand a chance against that fire."

That was when Tristan began to think back to that terrible time when he was trapped in one of Team Rocket's trucks while a fire roared uncontrollably at the abandoned gas station near Pallet Town. He didn't remember it very well because the mysterious Pokémon under the disguised Giovanni's ownership had made him forget all about it. However, he didn't know why that vision was coming into his head.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" exclaimed Hillary. "We've gotta help Tristan somehow!"

"I know, but I don't know if there's much we can do," replied Eric.

Tristan didn't know what to do himself, but he knew he had to do something to get himself out of danger. He took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Blastoise, go!"

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of the Pokéball.

"Blastoise, use your Hydro Pump attack to keep the fire at bay!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise shot two powerful blasts of water from the cannons on its back at the big fire; however, the Hydro Pump blasts proved to be ineffective.

"It's no use! That fire is way too big!" grunted Tristan.

The flame grew hotter and bigger until a big flying Pokémon came from out of nowhere and shielded Tristan, Pikachu, and Blastoise from the fire. It had red and pink flames on its wings, tail, and forehead.

 _(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

Everyone gasped in astonishment as they looked on.

"Is that a Pokémon?" asked Eric.

"Moltres," added Veronica. "It must have come to help Tristan."

"I wonder if it's the same one we helped before," said Hillary.

Professor Goodshow smiled. "It came just in time."

Moltres gathered up all the flames that were burning inside the stadium and transferred them to its body. Then it flew into the sky and shot a powerful Flamethrower into the central torch at the top of the stadium steps.

Everyone cheered as Moltres flew overhead and the flame burned brightly.

* * *

A few minutes later, all the trainers came back into the stadium and the opening ceremonies proceeded as scheduled.

Professor Goodshow stepped onto the podium and made a speech to every competing trainer. "Welcome, one and all! This stadium is a very special place where all the trainers who love Pokémon have come to compete. The flame of Moltres watches over all of you here. Battle with all the fire and passion in your heart and in your spirit, and you will never regret a single moment of your time in this competition!"

Everyone cheered and applauded as Professor Goodshow finished his last sentence.

Tristan and Pikachu watched the flame of Moltres burn brightly. _Thank you, Moltres,_ he thought. _You're not just my hero here, but you're the hero in everyone's heart. And we'll keep your fire burning._ He turned to Pikachu and said, "Well, this is it, pal. Are you ready to win?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" answered Pikachu eagerly.

* * *

 _And so, the Pokémon League Competition is finally underway. How will Tristan fare against all the other trainers? The battles will be intense, but for now the only thing for you to do is to stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	54. Chapter 54

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, and I apologize for the long wait. Here is chapter 54 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. I know some of you think this story is a predictable one; however, I have been thinking of ways to make it a little bit less so. I'm going to have Blue join Team Rocket. We'll see what happens from here. Please feel free to read and review. Feedback on all levels is welcome.**

 **TEASER: The Pokémon League competition has finally begun! But will Tristan's chances of victory take a snooze when he faces George and his Exeggutor?**

 **CHAPTER 54: GRASS OF GREEN**

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss theme (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne))_

One night at Team Rocket Headquarters, a meeting was taking place between Giovanni, the Team Rocket leader, and his newest employee, who was dressed in a brand new Team Rocket uniform.

"Greetings, and welcome to Team Rocket," said Giovanni.

"It is truly an honor, sir," replied the employee.

Giovanni snickered. "I like that attitude of yours. I think you will be one of the most powerful assets this team has ever seen. But first, why don't you tell me a little more about yourself."

It was then that the employee took off his cap and revealed his face. He had a spiky head.

Giovanni was surprised, but then became amused. "I know that face," he said. "You're that kid named Blue, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," chuckled Blue.

Giovanni smiled. "I heard that you've had a never-ending rivalry with that Tristan kid, whom I've also heard about."

"You know about him, too?" asked Blue.

"There's nothing about him I don't know," replied Giovanni. "I also know that you gave him a crushing defeat in the Trainer House Stadium not too long ago."

"I did," replied Blue. "But how did you know about that?"

"I was in the stands, secretly watching your battle," explained Giovanni. "You were very good, and I knew you wanted revenge against that kid for beating you time and time again. And I knew you wanted to be the most powerful trainer in the world. So I had to call you and convince you to join. It certainly wasn't easy, but the fact that you'd have fame and fortune was worth it."

"What's my first assignment, sir?" asked Blue.

"The preliminary rounds of the Pokémon League competition are about to begin," said Giovanni. "I want you to steal every Pokémon from whomever loses in the competition. But leave Tristan alone. I'll deal with him myself. While the competition keeps him occupied, I'll turn my attention to those he cares most about: his mommy and daddy."

Blue nodded as Giovanni snickered.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

 _Today, Tristan and Pikachu are getting ready for their first match in the Pokémon League Competition. But first, they've stopped at the Pokémon Center to register for the tournament._

"Hello," said a receptionist as Tristan and Pikachu walked up. "Are you here to register for the competition?"

"Yes, ma'am," answered Tristan.

"I'll need to see your ID and your other credentials," said the receptionist. "Just hand me your Pokédex for a minute."

Tristan handed his Pokédex to the receptionist, who scanned it. Sure enough, there was Tristan's picture and his eight badges.

"I'm happy to say that you've qualified for the tournament and you are now checked in," smiled the receptionist as she handed the Pokédex back to him.

"How will I know who my first opponent will be?" asked Tristan.

"All you have to do is press this button," answered the receptionist as she pointed to a button. She then pressed it.

Tristan kept looking at the board as it rapidly went through a series of fields he would be battling on: grass, rock, water, ice.

 _I'll have to think about whatever strategy I need when I battle on these four fields, one at a time,_ thought Tristan. _Oh, well. I guess there's no harm in deciding now because I'll have to battle on them all eventually in order to win._ He then pressed the button.

The display then slowed down and eventually stopped on a leaf emblem.

"That means you'll be battling on the grass field first," said the receptionist. "Now, here's your opponent."

The screen showed a picture was a trainer with purple hair.

"Your opponent's name is George," said the receptionist. "Your match is later today. Be sure to be at that field by two o'clock. And good luck."

"Thanks," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

"Pika Pika!" agreed Pikachu.

* * *

"So, how'd it go?" asked Hillary a few minutes later.

"Well, it went pretty well," answered Tristan. "I'm battling against a trainer named George on the grass field first. I'll have to be there by two."

"Then, let's use this time to plan a strategy," suggested Hillary.

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy," replied Tristan. "I don't know what Pokémon George is going to use. So I'll just have to plan things out as they come."

"I just hope you know what you're doing, big bro," said Hillary nervously.

 _So do I, Hillary,_ thought Tristan. _So do I._

"We will be there cheering for you," added Hillary.

"Who's 'we?'" wondered Tristan. He was confused.

"Ta-da!" smiled Veronica and Eric as they suddenly showed up next to Hillary.

"Oh yeah," said Tristan. "I forgot about that for a minute."

"How could you forget about us so easily?" asked Veronica. "You know we'll always be with you in spirit."

"She's right, grand-sonny," added Eric.

"Thanks a lot, guys," replied Tristan. "Now that I know you're all with me, there's no way I'll lose."

* * *

Just before two, Tristan and Pikachu walked toward the grass field just as Veronica, Eric, and Hillary sat down on the bleachers. He was amazed at the detail of the grass battlefield.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" boomed the announcer's voice. "The first battle of the Pokémon League Tournament is about to get underway! And what better way to get started than on the grass battlefield! The trainers who will be competing against one another are Tristan from New Bark Town and George from Viridian City!"

A trainer with purple hair came into the stadium on the opposite side of the field.

 _That must be George,_ thought Tristan.

A referee came to judge the match. He wore a blue tee-shirt with a Pokéball emblem on it. "Here are the rules of the match," he said. "Each trainer is allowed to use three Pokémon. Now begin!" He then raised his red and green flags.

"I choose Arcanine!" shouted George as he threw his first Pokéball.

Arcanine emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"I remember Arcanine," said Tristan. He thought back to the time when he was at the Fuschia City Pokémon Center where he saw Officer Jenny's Arcanine. He knew who to choose as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Charizard, I choose you!"

Charizard materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball. It roared as it faced Arcanine.

"Why didn't Tristan choose Blastoise or Lapras?" asked Hillary. She was confused.

"Search me," replied Eric. "But maybe he wanted Charizard to battle another Fire Pokémon."

"Most likely, because Charizard gets pleasure of battling other Fire Pokémon," added Veronica. "And since Arcanine's Fire attacks won't do much against Charizard anyway, it should do just fine."

"Well, We'll just see what happens," said Hillary.

The referee raised his red and green flags in the air and shouted, "Trainers, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)_

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" commanded George.

Arcanine shot a Flamethrower attack from its mouth at Charizard.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a Flamethrower attack of its own from its mouth.

The two attacks collided, creating a huge explosion.

"Both attacks are evenly matched!" boomed the announcer. "Both Pokémon still look fresh and ready for more!"

"Arcanine, try another Flamethrower!" shouted George.

Arcanine shot another Flamethrower from its mouth at Charizard, only bigger and faster this time.

 _That Flamethrower attack is too big to dodge,_ thought Tristan. _We'll have to take the hit somehow._ Then he got an idea. "Charizard, take a deep breath!" he shouted.

Charizard inhaled as deep as it could as Arcanine's Flamethrower came close to it.

Sure enough, Flamethrower scored a hit, but once Charizard breathed in deeply, the flames started to dissipate.

George gasped in shock; Tristan's strategy worked perfectly.

"Talk about playing with fire!" boomed the announcer. "Knowing that Charizard couldn't dodge Arcanine's Flamethrower, Tristan had it inhale the flames instead!"

George was growing frustrated by the second. "Arcanine, Take Down attack!" he yelled.

Arcanine charged through the grass at Charizard, full-body style.

"Charizard, fly up!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard flew up into the sky to dodge Arcanine's attack; however, Arcanine suddenly jumped off the ground and rammed into Charizard, surprising it.

"Charizard!" gasped Tristan.

Charizard was a bit shaken, but still in the match.

"Charizard thought that flying up would enable it to dodge, but a surprise from Arcanine prevented that from happening!" boomed the announcer.

"That Arcanine looks like it's well-trained," remarked Hillary.

"Yes, but knowing Tristan, I'm sure he's got something else up his sleeve," replied Veronica.

"Arcanine, use another Take Down attack!" commanded George.

Arcanine charged at Charizard again.

"Dodge it, Charizard!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard flew up again to avoid Arcanine's Take Down.

"Gotcha!" said George.

Sure enough, Arcanine leaped off the ground to surprise Charizard in the air again; however, Tristan was ready this time.

"Charizard, use your tail to attack!" instructed Tristan.

Charizard quickly turned around and lashed its thick, scaly tail at Arcanine, scoring a huge direct hit.

"Whoa!" cried the announcer. "Tristan used his head to have Charizard attack with its tail! Looks like the coin's landing on tails this go-round!"

"Arcanine!" gasped George.

Arcanine collapsed from the major damage it took and fainted on the spot.

"Arcanine is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The audience roared in excitement.

"How did Charizard defeat Arcanine without Tristan using any attacks?" asked Hillary. She was a little puzzled.

"Sometimes, Trainers need to improvise," explained Eric. "Instead of using straightforward attacks, sometimes, they have them use their body parts to attack instead. It can range from using fists or strong legs or, in Charizard's case, its tail. It just depends on the situation, and how strong the Pokémon can be. It also comes in handy when you're battling a Pokémon that's the same type as yours or if you're at a disadvantage yourself."

"So that's how," said Hillary. She was impressed with Tristan's skills so far. She really wanted to become a trainer herself.

"Exeggutor, go!" shouted George as he threw his second Pokéball.

A Pokémon resembling a large walking coconut tree emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan had never seen that Pokémon before, so he scanned it with his Pokédex named Dexter.

 _"Exeggutor: The Coconut Pokémon: The evolved form of Exeggcute,"_ identified Dexter. _"All of Exeggutor's heads show a distinct face and its own character. Exeggutor is known as "The Waling Tropical Rain Forest."_

"That's an understatement," remarked Tristan. Then he thought, _I'll have to be careful. I've never faced an Exeggutor before. Who knows what attacks it can do?_

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised both his flags.

"Exeggutor, Hypnosis!" instructed George.

Exeggutor's eyes began to glow yellow.

Unfortunately, Charizard looked into them and began to get drowsy.

"Charizard, quick, don't look at it!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late. Charizard was slowing falling to the ground. Once it did, it promptly closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

"Charizard is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

Tristan was shocked. He wasn't expecting a knockout like that.

"What? No way!" exclaimed Hillary as the crowd roared in excitement.

"You heard it here, folks!" boomed the announcer. "One Hypnosis attack from Exeggutor has caused Charizard to go down sleeping! And when a Pokémon falls asleep in this competition, it's out of the battle!"

Tristan returned Charizard to its Pokéball and held it close. "You were great, Charizard," he said. He put it away, took out his next Pokéball, and threw it. "I choose you...Pidgeot!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))_

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

Tristan was hoping that Pidgeot's speed would be enough to dodge Exeggutor's Hypnosis attack.

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised both flags in the air.

"Okay, Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeot sped at Exeggutor with a white line trailing behind it and scored a direct hit on Exeggutor.

However, Exeggutor was still in it.

"Exeggutor, Egg Bomb attack!" commanded George.

Exeggutor fired multiple egg shaped balls of light from its heads and exploded on Pidgeot as it tried to fly away from them, giving it serious damage with each hit.

"Exeggutor's Egg Bomb scores big time!" boomed the announcer. "George's strategy is working egg-zactly as planned!"

"All right, Exeggutor, Hypnosis!" instructed George.

Exeggutor's eyes glowed yellow again.

Pidgeot had taken on so much damage from Exeggutor's Egg Bomb that its reflexes had slowed down enough for Hypnosis to work. Like Charizard, Pidgeot, too, looked into Exeggutor's hypnotic eyes and quickly fell fast asleep.

"Pidgeot, no!" cried Tristan.

But it was no use. Pidgeot was sleeping and couldn't be moved.

"Pidgeot is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

The crowd roared in excitement.

"This is not looking hopeful," said Hillary nervously. "Now Tristan has only one Pokémon left."

"Yes, he does seem to be in a tight spot right now," replied Veronica. "But I wouldn't count him out of this match just yet."

Tristan returned Pidgeot to its Pokéball and held it close. "You did your best, Pidgeot," he said. "I guess my strategy was a bit off this time." He put it away.

Sparks were sizzling from Pikachu's cheeks as it prepared for battle.

"Sorry, Pikachu," said Tristan. "I wish I could let you battle, but I'm only allowed to use the Pokémon I registered before the match."

Pikachu's sparks stopped as it sadly hung its head lower.

"Don't worry, pal," Tristan assured it as he petted it. "We'll win this thing and you'll get a chance to battle."

Pikachu felt better after that.

Tristan threw his third Pokéball. "Venusaur, I choose you!"

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Tristan is sending out his Venusaur to battle against George's Exeggutor!" boomed the announcer. "What sort of strategy could Tristan have up his sleeve?"

"Why'd he choose Venusaur?" quizzed Hillary.

 _Hmmm,_ thought Veronica. _I'm puzzled myself._

"Exeggutor, let's finish this up, nice and quick," said George. "Use your Hypnosis attack!"

 _(Mus_ _ic Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))_

Exeggutor's eyes once again glowed yellow.

"Go, Venusaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur quickly extended its vines around Exeggutor, stopping its Hypnosis attack.

"Exeggutor!" gasped George.

"Now give it a toss, Venusaur!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur lifted Exeggutor into the air with all its might, then thrust it down hard to the ground over and over.

"Venusaur's Vine Whip is doing the job!" boomed the announcer. "It not only stops the Hypnosis attack, but it's giving Exeggutor a roller-coaster ride!"

"Tackle it, Venusaur, now!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur charged at Exeggutor and rammed it hard, knocking it out.

"No! Exeggutor!" cried George.

"Exeggutor is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The audience roared in excitement.

"Venusaur, way to go!" commended Tristan excitedly.

Venusaur smiled.

George recalled Exeggutor and said to Tristan. "Well, you finally beat my Exeggutor. But just because you did that, you shouldn't expect to claim victory so soon."

"Get ready, Venusaur," advised Tristan. "I have a feeling George isn't bluffing."

Venusaur positioned itself for George's last Pokémon.

"I choose Tauros, my beefy battler!" shouted George as he threw his third Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

A light brown Pokémon resembling a wild bull with three tails on the back emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had two curved gray horns and a rounded muzzle. It stomped its right front hoof on the ground and was ready for action.

"So, that's a Tauros," said Tristan as he scanned it on his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Tauros: The Wild Bull Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"When it targets an opponent, it charges furiously while whipping its body with its three long tails."_

"That is one powerful Pokémon," remarked Hillary.

"I'll say," replied Eric. "Tristan sure has his hands full now."

"Tauros looks like it's ready to rumble!" boomed the announcer.

"Tauros, Take Down attack now!" ordered George.

Tauros charged through the grass straight at Venusaur. Its stomping made the entire stadium shake.

"Tauros is proving itself to be very powerful!" boomed the announcer. "It Take Down attack is so powerful that it feels like an earthquake!"

"Okay, Venusaur, try using Vine Whip to grab its horns," instructed Tristan.

Venusaur extended its vines and wrapped them around Tauros, causing it to swerve to the side. Tauros's Take Down attack barely missed Venusaur because of it.

"Come on, Tauros, let's win this now!" shouted George, who was starting to lose patience.

Tauros quickly turned around and charged at Venusaur again.

"Okay, Venusaur, use your Vine Whip to jump!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur shot its vines toward the ground, enabling it to jump high into the air, much to everyone's surprise.

"Jumping jellybeans!" exclaimed the announcer. "Venusaur used its Vine Whip to jump high over Tauros!"

"Can a Venusaur really jump that high?" asked Hillary.

"Well, because of its bulky body, normally it wouldn't jump very easily," explained Veronica. "However, Tristan found a way to improvise by using Vine Whip to stay in midair longer."

"Venusaur, aim a Vine Whip attack at Tauros's feet and tie them up!" ordered Tristan.

Just as Tauros was getting ready to charge for another Take Down attack, Venusaur landed on its feet and used its Vine Whip to entangle Tauros's legs, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Tauros, get up!" yelled George.

"Now's our chance, Venusaur! Sleep Powder!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur emitted a silvery powder from the flower on its back at Tauros.

Tauros breathed in the powder and began to get drowsy. In a matter of seconds, it fell fast asleep.

"Tauros!" cried George.

"Tauros is unable to battle!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag. "Victory goes to green trainer Tristan!"

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fowl Play"))_

The audience roared with excitement as the board showed Tristan as the winner.

"Yeah! We did it, Venusaur!" cried Tristan as he and Pikachu happily ran to the field to congratulate his Pokémon. "I knew you could do it. Thanks so much."

Venusaur replied happily as it was gently being petted.

George returned Tauros to its Pokéball and held it close. "Well, we tried, old friend," he said. "You put up a good fight. But I have to admit. Tristan and Venusaur put up a better one."

"Tristan certainly earned that one," said Eric. "Wouldn't you say, dear?"

"I agree wholeheartedly," replied Veronica.

Hillary smiled. "Three more fields to go," she said. "And Tristan will be able to battle in the main stadium."

* * *

 _Tristan has won his first match on the grass battlefield, his first step on his way to the top. Will he be this successful on the other three fields? With this much excitement in the air, this tournament is just getting started. So stay tuned!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: We Won't Give Up on Pikachu)_

That night, Blue was in the Pokémon Center vault quietly stealing Pokéballs from all the losing trainers in the tournament, including George, per Giovanni's instructions. The last three Pokéballs he had taken for the night contained George's Arcanine, Exeggutor, and Tauros. He carefully placed them in his sack.

"Hmph!" grumbled Blue. "I never liked stealing Pokémon. But if I want to beat Tristan once and for all, I have no choice but to play Giovanni's game. Once I take these Pokémon, I'll add them to my collection, and prove once and for all that I am a far better trainer than he'll ever be. And when I beat Tristan, I'll take on Giovanni and beat him at his own game. He'll be sorry he ever met me. You'd better watch out, Tristan 'cause your days of being better than me are numbered." He then snickered.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	55. Chapter 55

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 55 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Trinity, from the anime, makes an appearance in this chapter. You know her as one of Misty's opponents in the Whirl Cup on _Pokémon: Master Quest._ As always, please feel free to read and review. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **TEASER: Tristan faces Trinity on the water battlefield, but she has an arsenal of tough Water Pokémon that Tristan must defeat in order for him to advance to the fourth round!**

 **Chapter 55: A SHOCKINGLY WET RESULT**

 _(Music Cue: Opening and Title Screen 1997-1998)_

 _Last time, Tristan battled on the grass field in the first round of the Pokémon League Competition. His opponent was a trainer named George. Both trainers were allowed to use three Pokémon; however, George proved to be a formidable opponent. Both trainers started out using Fire-type Pokémon: Tristan with Charizard, and George with Arcanine. The battle was intense right from the start; however, Tristan cleverly found a way to attack using Charizard's tail, and sure enough, he defeated Arcanine._

 _Next, George sent out his powerful Exeggutor. Despite the type advantage, Charizard fell victim to its Hypnosis attack, and ended up snoozing and losing. Tristan tried using his Pidgeot to counterattack, but it, too, was put to sleep by Exeggutor's Hypnosis._

 _With one Pokémon left to use, Tristan decided to take a chance and go with Venusaur. Exeggutor tried to finish it off with another Hypnosis, but Venusaur's Vine Whip proved to be too quick for it, causing it to be defeated by a powerful Tackle attack._

 _Both trainers were down to their last Pokémon, and George sent out his Tauros, which proved that it could shake things up at a rodeo. Venusaur jumped high into the air using its Vine Whip, then, using that same attack, tangled up Tauros's legs. Finally, it finished Tauros off with its Sleep Powder, using the same tricks that George's Pokémon used on him, giving Tristan the win, much to the delight of his friends and family. Now, we wait to see who his next opponent will be, and which battlefield he will be fighting on next!_

* * *

The next day, Tristan was battling on the rock battlefield. He was facing a young trainer named Victor, and they were both down to one Pokémon apiece. Tristan's sister, Hillary, and his grandparents, Veronica and Eric, were cheering him on.

"Tristan's Venusaur and Charizard were powerful competitors in this battle, as have Victor's Golem and Nidoqueen," said the announcer. "What Pokémon will both trainers choose?"

Victor had sent out a Rhydon for the final battle. Tristan knew who he wanted to choose for this battle.

"Okay, Blastoise, let's show them what we've got. I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw Blastoise's Pokéball.

Blastoise shot out of the ball and readied itself for a battle against Victor's Rhydon.

"Yeah, good choice!" said Hillary excitedly. "Tristan should have a lock on this one."

"He should, but it's not like you can always count on it," reminded Veronica.

"Both Pokémon look powerful," added Eric. "But keep in mind, Blastoise has an overwhelming type advantage."

"Rhydon, charge in and use Fury Attack!" yelled Victor.

Rhydon charged at Blastoise with its sharp horn as the driving force.

"Blastoise, Withdraw!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise's head and limbs disappeared into its shell, nullifying the damage Rhydon's sharp horn would have done to it.

"Hiding in your shell like that is a loser's way to battle, you know!" fumed Victor. "If you were really that tough, fight me head on!"

"I'm not battling like a loser," said Tristan. "I always battle by instinct."

"Who cares about that?" shouted Victor. "Battle me head on! Come on!"

"Okay, but just remember, you're the one who asked for it!" replied Tristan. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise's head and limbs shot out of the shell, as did its two cannons. The cannons were quickly aimed at Rhydon, and two powerful blasts of water shot out of them at Rhydon, giving it heavy damage.

"No! Rhydon!" cried Victor.

Rhydon collapsed on the ground, having taken so much damage from the Hydro Pump blasts. Its Rock-type and Ground-type characteristics made it faint instantly from Blastoise's attack.

The referee raised his green flag and declared, "This battle goes to Tristan!"

The crowd went wild over the announcement.

"You heard it here, fans!" boomed the announcer. "Tristan has taken the second round of the preliminaries. He will now move on to round three!"

Tristan stood proudly with Pikachu standing proudly next to him while Victor sank to his knees, crying like a baby.

"No fair!" sobbed Victor.

"That means Tristan has two more fields to go before he battles in the Indigo Stadium, right, Grandma?" asked Hillary.

"Precisely," answered Veronica. "He seems to be doing very well in his first major competition. And I know that even if he loses, he's still a winner in my book."

Hillary and Eric agreed.

* * *

"Eat up, grand-sonny," said Veronica later that evening as she and the others sat down to macaroni and cheese for dinner. "You need lots of food to keep your strength up during this competition."

"You can count on that," replied Tristan as he and Pikachu happily dug in.

"Well, there's definitely nothing wrong with Tristan's appetite, that's for sure," remarked Hillary. "Grandma's cooking is first-rate."

"I wouldn't go that far," smiled Veronica sheepishly.

"So, have you decided which Pokémon you're going to use in tomorrow's battle, Tristan?" asked Eric.

"Well, since I'm going to be battling on either the water field or the ice field next, I'm thinking that Lapras might be a good choice," explained Tristan. "Lapras has both Water-type and Ice-type characteristics, plus it can use both Water and Ice attacks. Furthermore, I haven't forgotten about Blastoise. It may not have Ice-type traits, but it can certainly use a very cold Ice Beam attack."

"These two certainly would be great on a water field," remarked Hillary.

"Now, you just need to decide on the last Pokémon," said Veronica.

 _Hmmm,_ thought Tristan. _Which Pokémon would give me an edge on a water field?_ He thought about it for a minute. Then, at last, he got an idea.

* * *

The next day found Tristan battling on the water field against a trainer named Trinity. Pikachu stood right beside him, ready for action.

"Welcome back to the Pokémon League Competition!" boomed the announcer. "Both trainers are ready to go, and we await their choices!"

"Let's go, Golduck!" yelled Trinity as she threw her first Pokéball.

Golduck emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked like a light-blue duck with webbed feet and hands, plus a small red gem on its forehead.

"So, that's a Golduck," said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex, Dexter.

 _"Golduck: The Duck Pokémon: The evolved form of Psyduck,"_ identified Dexter. _"Golduck is very adept at using its hands and feet, making it the fastest swimmer of all Pokémon."_

Tristan put his Pokédex and threw his first Pokéball. "Blastoise, I choose you!" he shouted.

Blastoise emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

The referee raised his flags in the air and shouted, "Trainers, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid!)_

"Golduck, Water Gun!" commanded Trinity.

Golduck fired a powerful blast of water from its beak.

"Go, Blastoise, push it back with Hydro Pump!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise's cannons quickly appeared and they shot out two destructive blasts of water at Golduck's Water Gun. For awhile, they looked evenly matched, but eventually, Blastoise's Hydro Pump pushed it back.

Trinity had no choice but to get out of the way. "Dodge it!" she ordered.

Golduck quickly dove underwater.

"Tristan's making good use of Blastoise's attacks," remarked Hillary. "He's really thinking today."

"Believe me, Hillary, when Tristan battles, he does so with gusto," replied Veronica as she raised her right fist into the air.

"I don't think I could ever remember the last time I've seen you so fired up, dear," smiled Eric.

"I guess the battle skills run in the family, don't they?" said Veronica.

"Now, Golduck, Confusion!" commanded Trinity.

Golduck resurfaced and its eyes began to glow in a blue aura. As it did, so did Blastoise, as it was lifted into the air.

"Blastoise has been lifted by Confusion!" boomed the announcer. "Can it get out of this?"

"Quick, Blastoise, aim your Hydro Pump at the water!" instructed Tristan.

Blastoise's cannons shot out two more powerful blasts of water at the water, causing it to rise higher in the air, breaking free from Golduck's Confusion attack.

"Now, Blastoise, dive underwater, just like Golduck did!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise stopped using its Hydro Pump, and in no time at all, it fell from the air, but it used the speed of the fall to dive quickly toward the water.

"Hurry, Golduck, stop it with Confusion!" shouted Trinity.

But it was too late, for Blastoise made a big splash in the water, and was now safe from Golduck's attack.

"Blastoise dives straight underwater and to a safe hiding place! What will Blastoise's next move be?" asked the announcer.

"Blastoise has to come up for air sometime, Golduck, so when it does, be ready," advised Trinity.

 _Blastoise may not have to come up for air, but I can't just leave it hidden in the water,_ thought Tristan. _I have to think of a way to stop that Golduck._ "All right, Blastoise, jump out of the water!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise rocketed above the water's surface and jumped into the air.

"Now's our chance, Golduck, Fury Swipes!" ordered Trinity.

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 (M01B))_

Golduck charged forward with its sharp claws as the driving force.

"Skull Bash now!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise dove down from the air as its head began to glow in a silver aura, then using all it had, it rammed into Golduck with such force that it was sent flying.

"Golduck!" cried Trinity.

Golduck landed in the water with a big splash. When the water cleared, Golduck was floating on its back in the water, knocked out.

"Golduck is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The crowd roared in excitement as Hillary, Veronica, and Eric proudly looked on.

"Now that's what I call using your head," remarked Hillary.

Perhaps it was Hillary's bad joke, but regardless, Veronica and Eric smiled.

"Blastoise used its Skull Bash to deliver the finishing blow to Golduck!" boomed the announcer. "Now, we wait for Trinity's second Pokémon!"

"Go, Chinchou!" shouted Trinity as she threw her second Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Rocket-Powered Disaster)_

A small, round blue, fish-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had two antennae on its rear; both antennae had yellow teardrop shapes at the end of them.

"Trinity's second Pokémon will be a Chinchou!" said the announcer. "Talk about a real treat!"

"I've never seen a Chinchou before," said Tristan. He knew his Pokédex would do him no good if he tried to look up Chinchou's entry like he did with Feraligatr and Wobbuffet, but nevertheless, he knew he had to keep his guard up. "Be careful, Blastoise. There's no telling what that Chinchou can do."

Blastoise nodded.

Hillary was surprised. "A Chinchou?" she asked.

Veronica nodded. "Chinchou is a Pokémon that normally lives in the Johto region," she explained. "But my guess that Trinity brought her Chinchou to this competition so she could take her opponents by surprise."

"I've encountered Chinchou on my travels with your grandmother," Eric said to Hillary. "Chinchou have both Water and Electric-type characteristics, and that alone puts Blastoise at a huge disadvantage."

"All right, Chinchou, Thunder Wave!" commanded Trinity.

Electrick sparks sizzled from Chinchou's antennae. Then it unleashed a powerful stream of electricity at Blastoise.

"Quick, Blastoise, dive underwater!" ordered Tristan.

Blastoise quickly dove underwater to avoid Chinchou's Thunder Wave.

"If you think we're falling for that trick again, you've got another thing coming!" said Trinity. "Chinchou, Confuse Ray!"

Chinchou's antennae immediately glowed in a purple light. Then, it dipped them underwater and unleashed a beam of purple energy all over the water. There was no way Blastoise could avoid a maneuver like that one.

"Trinity cleverly uses Chinchou's Confuse Ray underwater to ensure a perfect result!" boomed the announcer.

"Blastoise!" shouted Tristan.

Blastoise emerged from the water, dazed and confused.

"All right, Chinchou, Thunder Wave!" commanded Trinity.

Electric sparks sizzled on Chinchou's antenna, then it quickly shot another stream of electricity at Blastoise, paralyzing it on the spot.

"Blastoise seems to be completely helpless against Chinchou's Thunder Wave!" boomed the announcer.

"Blastoise, try as hard as you can to move!" shouted Tristan.

Blastoise tried, but it couldn't move a muscle.

"Now use your Spark attack!" ordered Trinity.

"What's a Spark attack?" asked Tristan.

Before Tristan could figure out what Spark was, a powerful bolt of electricity was released at Blastoise, scoring a direct hit.

"Blastoise, no!" cried Tristan.

Blastoise fell on its back from taking too much damage. It had been knocked out.

"Blastoise is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag and the crowd roared in excitement.

Hillary, Veronica, and Eric gasped. They never knew that Trinity's Chinchou was that strong.

"Great job, Blastoise," said Tristan as he returned Blastoise to its Pokéball. "Take a long rest."

"As tough as Blastoise was, Chinchou's Electric attacks have overwhelmed it in a heartbeat!" boomed the announcer. "Now we eagerly await the appearance of Tristan's next Pokémon."

 _I can't use Pikachu against Chinchou,_ thought Tristan. _It'll just absorb any Electric attacks. And as much as I want to choose Venusaur, it can't maneuver very well on this field. There's only one clear choice._ He took out his second Pokéball and threw it. "Lapras, go!"

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Pokémon Double Trouble"))_

Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Tristan's second Pokémon is Lapras!" said the announcer. "Will it avenge the honor of its fallen comrade?"

"I'm counting on you, Lapras," said Tristan. "Let's show this Chinchou what we're made of."

Lapras eagerly replied.

"Why did Tristan choose Lapras now?" asked Hillary nervously. "He should know that Lapras is vulnerable to Chinchou's Electric attacks."

"He must know that Pikachu's Electric attacks won't do much good against it," replied Veronica.

"And even if he chose Venusaur," added Eric, "it wouldn't be able to keep its balance on those pillars. But we'll see what he has up his sleeve this time."

"Let's do it, Chinchou, Thunder Wave!" commanded Trinity.

Chinchou, once again, shot a powerful stream of electricity at Lapras.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras shot an icy cold beam of energy at Chinchou's Thunder Wave.

The collision of the attacks created a big explosion.

"Lapras used its Ice Beam attack to defend against Chinchou's Thunder Wave!" said the announcer.

"Now, Lapras, time to show Chinchou your Body Slam!" instructed Tristan.

Lapras jumped into the air and proceeded to land hard on Chinchou.

"Push it away with Water Gun!" shouted Trinity.

Chinchou shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the descending Lapras.

"Chinchou is trying to use Water Gun to limit the damage from Lapras's Body Slam!" said the announcer. "But will it be enough to stop it altogether?"

"Keep blasting, Chinchou, you've gotta knock it off balance!" implored Trinity.

"Don't give up, Lapras, you can do it, buddy!" encouraged Tristan.

Lapras continued to come at Chinchou while Chinchou kept it at bay with its Water Gun.

 _As long as Chinchou keeps up with its Water Gun, Lapras won't be able to beat it,_ thought Tristan. _But what happens if I freeze it in its tracks?_ "Lapras, use your Ice Beam attack to stop Chinchou's Water Gun!" commanded Tristan.

Still in midair, Lapras shot an icy cold beam of energy at Chinchou's Water Gun attack. Sure enough, it froze solid, allowing Lapras to slide down and ram hard into Chinchou.

"Lapras's Ice Beam allows it to connect with Body Slam!" boomed the announcer. "Lapras is certainly putting the squeeze on its opponent!"

"Chinchou, Spark!" shouted Trinity.

Despite being squeezed by Lapras's Body Slam, Chinchou was able to muster up all it had, and it unleashed a powerful jolt of electricity to score a direct hit on it at close range; however, the force of the attack was so strong that it created a huge explosion, causing both Pokémon to be sent flying.

Tristan and Trinity both covered their faces from the explosion.

The crowd was anxious to see which Pokémon triumphed over the other.

When the smoke cleared on Tristan's side, he saw that Lapras had been knocked out.

"Lapras!" gasped Tristan.

Then, as the smoke cleared on the other side, Chinchou was also knocked out.

"Chinchou!" cried Trinity.

"Lapras and Chinchou are both out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised both flags in the air.

The crowd roared in cheers, but Veronica, Eric, and Hillary were shocked.

"Unbelievable!" boomed the announcer. "A double knockout! That close-range Spark attack caused a huge explosion, and now it has knocked both Pokémon out of this match!"

Tristan returned Lapras to its Pokéball and said, "Lapras, you were awesome. You deserve a rest."

Trinity returned Chinchou to its Pokéball and said, "Thank you, Chinchou. That was excellent work." Then she turned to Tristan. "I have to say, Tristan, you are extremely good."

Tristan smiled. "You, too, Trinity. That Chinchou of yours took me by surprise."

"Well, shall we move on?" said Trinity as she threw her third Pokéball. "Gyarados, go!"

A serpentine Chine dragon-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It was mostly blue with a yellow underbelly. It had a large, gaping mouth, but the Pokémon itself was gigantic. It roared as it prepared to battle.

"Trinity's last Pokémon is a Gyarados!" boomed the announcer.

"Whoa, now that's a big one," said Tristan nervously as he scanned Gyarados with his Pokédex.

 _"Gyarados: The Atrocious Pokémon: The evolved form of Magikarp,"_ identified Dexter. _"Gyarados is known for its vicious temperament, and is capable of destroying entire cities in a fit of rage. Trainers beware: this Pokémon's fangs can easily crush stone and its scales are harder than steel."_

Hillary was shocked. "That Pokémon is tremendous!" exclaimed Hillary.

"I've encountered a Gyarados many times in my travels," said Veronica. "Most of the time, in the wild, Gyarados are known to have no mercy attacking passersby, especially in their territory."

"True, but this Gyarados seems to be well-trained," added Eric. "This will be a tough battle for Tristan to win."

"All right, Pikachu, are you ready to win this?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and leaped onto one of the pillars, ready to battle Gyarados.

"Tristan's last Pokémon will be Pikachu!" said the announcer. "This is it!"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" commanded Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it shot a powerful stream of electricity at Gyarados.

"Gyarados, Hydro Pump!" ordered Trinity.

Gyarados shot a powerful blast of water from its gaping mouth to defend against Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Sure enough, the two attacks collided, creating a huge explosion.

"Those two attacks are perfectly matched!" boomed the announcer.

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" yelled Trinity.

Gyarados opened up its mouth even wider and charged up a yellow-orange beam. Then it shot it straight at Pikachu.

"Dodge it, quick!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu jumped into the air and easily avoided Gyarados's Hyper Beam.

"Gyarados shoots a destructive Hyper Beam at Pikachu, but Pikachu proves to be too quick!" boomed the announcer.

"All right, Pikachu, try another Thunderbolt attack!" ordered Tristan.

Just as Pikachu was about to shoot off another powerful Thunderbolt, Trinity shouted, "Hydro Pump!"

Gyarados launched a surprise blast of water from its mouth and knocked Pikachu out of the sky, causing it to fall on one of the platforms on the water battlefield.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu stood up and easily shook it off.

"We've got 'em on the run, Gyarados, so use Hyper Beam now!" commanded Trinity.

Gyarados opened its gaping mouth wider and began to charge up another powerful yellow-orange beam and shoot it at Pikachu.

"Quick, Pikachu, get out of the way!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu jumped onto another platform to avoid Gyarados's Hyper Beam, but Trinity seemed unfazed by it.

"Keep going with Hyper Beam, Gyarados, and Pikachu will eventually tire out!" instructed Trinity.

Gyarados kept charging up and blasting with its Hyper Beam attack, leaving Pikachu no time to stand still long enough to shoot a Thunderbolt at it.

"Gyarados unleashes a powerful barrage of Hyper Beams while Pikachu can't seem to find any way of returning fire!" boomed the announcer.

"This is bad," said Hillary. "If Pikachu spends all of its time dodging Gyarados's Hyper Beam, it'll be all worn out!"

Then, she, Veronica, and Eric all gasped in shock as they saw Pikachu on the edge of the battlefield in no position to dodge any more of Gyarados's attacks. Gyarados slowly closed in as Pikachu desperately tried to find a way out of its predicament.

"Gyarados's Hyper Beams have caused Pikachu to be left in a defensive corner!" said the announcer. "Pikachu seems to have no place left to run!"

"All right, Gyarados, finish it off with Hydro Pump!" commanded Trinity.

Gyarados unleashed a powerful blast of water from its mouth at a defenseless Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Agility!" yelled Tristan as loud as he could.

Somehow, Pikachu managed to jump up, and it briefly disappeared, but it reappeared on top of Gyarados's Hydro Pump, and was now running straight at Gyarados.

"That's the way, Pikachu, now, Thunder attack!" shouted Tristan.

Pikachu kept running with sparks sizzling from its cheeks. Then, using all the energy it had, it rammed into Gyarados with a Thunder attack so powerful that it threw Gyarados for a loop.

"Gyarados!" cried Trinity. She was clearly in shock of what just happened.

"Bam! That worked perfectly!" boomed the announcer. "Pikachu's Thunder attack hits Gyarados at close range!"

"Talk about in your face!" said Hillary to Veronica and Eric.

"I'll say," replied Veronica and Eric together.

Gyarados collapsed in the water with a big splash as Pikachu landed neatly on top of it. Gyarados had been knocked out.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!" declared the referee. He then raised his green flag in Tristan's direction as he declared. "Victory goes to the team of Tristan and Pikachu!"

 _(Music Cue: End of an Adventure)_

The crowd roared in excitement.

"Yeah, Pikachu, we did it!" cried Tristan excitedly.

Pikachu happily ran off the field and into Tristan's arms. They both gave each other big hugs.

"You were awesome, pal," said Tristan. "Thanks so much."

Pikachu happily replied.

"Tristan won!" cheered Hillary excitedly. "Now he goes on to round four!"

"That's our grandson," smiled Eric.

Trinity returned Gyarados to its Pokéball, held it close, and said, "I'm proud of you, Gyarados. Great work." Then, she approached Tristan and Pikachu and said, "You were a super tough opponent. Your Pokémon have been raised very well."

"Thanks a lot, Trinity," replied Tristan. "Your Pokémon were very strong."

"I'm thinking of taking a trip to the Whirl Islands in Johto," said Trinity. "I'm going to try my luck at the Whirl Cup."

"I'll be rooting for you, Trinity," replied Tristan. "I wish you nothing but success."

"Well," smiled Trinity. "We'll battle hard. And I hope you have good luck in your upcoming matches in this competition."

"Thanks. We'll do our best," replied Tristan as he and Trinity shook hands.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan emerges victorious against Trinity, and moves on to round four of the Pokémon League competition. What opponent will he be facing next? And will he be able to keep winning? Stay tuned as the competition continues on!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Devious Plot)_

Late that night, Blue quietly sneaked into the Pokémon Center's storage room and took more Pokéballs. He spoke into a small radio and said, "Giovanni, sir, I just managed to get several more Pokémon from the storage room. They're all powerful Pokémon that all the losing trainers own."

"Excellent, boy," replied Giovanni on the radio. "Send them to me immediately."

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	56. Chapter 56

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Sorry it took so long, but here's chapter 56 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Professor Oak appears starting in this chapter. As always, please feel free to read and provide any feedback.**

 **TEASER: Tristan is battling on the ice field in round four of the Pokémon League Competition. But will victory slip away from him when he takes on Lancaster's Jynx? Or will he find a way to slide into the Victory Tournament?**

 **Chapter 56: SLIDING INTO VICTORY**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 (as heard in "Enter the Dragonite"))_

 _When we last left our young hero, Tristan battled on the water battlefield in the third round of the Pokémon League Competition. His opponent was a trainer named Trinity. Her Pokémon proved to be tough to beat, especially since she sent out her Chinchou to take out Tristan's Blastoise and draw with his Lapras. With both trainers down to their last Pokémon, Trinity sent out her Gyarados while Tristan used his trusty Pikachu. During the battle, Gyarados ferociously attacked with its Hyper Beam while Pikachu barely managed to dodge its attacks. However, Pikachu was left trapped on the corner of the battlefield. Fortunately, Tristan picked the right moment to issue an Agility attack, and follow it up quickly with Thunder, the results were shockingly explosive, thereby earning him an impressive victory as he sails on to round four!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: All's Well That Ends Well)_

"Here you go, Tristan," said Nurse Joy as she handed Pikachu and Tristan's five Pokéballs to him the next morning. "Your Pokémon are rested up and ready for your battle on the ice field today."

"Great. Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan.

Pikachu jumped on Tristan's shoulder.

Hillary appeared just then. "So what's your plan of attack this time?" she asked.

"What else? To win," answered Tristan.

Hillary chuckled. "I know that, but what I mean is, what's your strategy today?"

"Well, since Lapras has Ice-type characteristics, I think it'd be a good choice on an ice field," explained Tristan. "I can also use Pikachu. Its speed can really come in handy on an icy field. But I'm not sure who else I want to use." Tristan strained as he tried to think. "I just don't know."

"Well, there is one other Pokémon you could use," said a voice.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were surprised and pleased to see Professor Oak arrive.

"Hi, Professor," smiled Hillary.

"What brings you here?" asked Tristan.

"Well, I just thought I'd offer some assistance, plus cheer you on in the competition," explained Professor Oak. He then took out a Pokéball. "This Pokémon can really come in handy."

"Hey, it's my Snorlax!" said Tristan excitedly. Then he became puzzled. "But why Snorlax?"

"Snorlax's endurance, plus its big belly could help with this next battle," suggested Professor Oak.

"Okay, I'll give it a try," said Tristan as he took Snorlax's Pokéball.

"But Tristan can't carry more than six Pokémon at a time," protested Hillary. "What Pokémon should he leave?"

"I have an idea," said Nurse Joy. "Maybe you can leave some of your Pokéballs with me for the time being. Then, you can take the Pokémon to the ice field so you can battle with them. And I'll take care of the Pokémon you leave with me."

"That's a great idea, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. He gave Nurse Joy Venusaur's, Charizard's Blastoise's, and Pidgeot's Pokéballs and put Snorlax's and Lapras's Pokéballs in his pocket. Then he registered for the match with Lapras, Pikachu, and Snorlax as his three choices.

"Well, it appears that you're all set," said Professor Oak. "You go ahead and get to the ice field. I'll stay here with Hillary and wait for your grandparents."

"How do you know that Grandma and Grandpa are here, Professor Oak?" asked Hillary.

"They called me on the phone yesterday, so I decided to come here to watch the competition," answered Professor Oak. "I left Tracey in charge of the lab." He turned to Tristan. "No matter what, Tristan, always do your best. And remember, win or lose, you're always a winner."

"I'll remember that. Thanks, Professor Oak," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best." So saying, he and Pikachu hurried out of the Pokémon Center toward the ice field.

Presently, Veronica and Eric arrived. "Did we miss our cue, Professor?"

"You just missed him," answered Professor Oak. "Let's head to the stadium so we can cheer Tristan on."

Everyone agreed and headed out of the Pokémon Center.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit)_

The stadium was filled to capacity when Tristan and Pikachu arrived. Fans were roaring with excitement.

Tristan was getting a little nervous, but he took a few deep breaths and regained his composure. "Well, Pikachu, we made it this far. Let's do our best out there."

Pikachu agreed.

Then they both entered the stadium and stepped into the green box as the announcer began speaking.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to round four of the Pokémon League Competition!" boomed the announcer. "Trainers who have made it this far will get the chance to go on to the Victory Tournament. And compared to this ice-cold field, we'll be seeing some red-hot battle action! Appearing on one side of the field is Tristan from New Bark Town."

Just then, a teenage female trainer wearing a winter coat and hat showed up. She had skis and a scarf for accessories.

"And challenging Tristan will be Lancaster from Mahogany Town!" continued the announcer.

Lancaster smiled. "Ha! With just a short-sleeved shirt and a vest, you'll freeze in no time, kid!"

"When I battle, I get all fired up, so don't worry about me," replied Tristan.

The referee appeared and prepared to start the battle. "This fourth round battle between Tristan and Lancaster will now begin!" he announced.

"Dewgong, I choose you!" shouted Lancaster as she threw her first Pokéball.

A pinniped Pokémon resembling a sea lion appeared from the white light that shot out of it. It had a snow-white furry body and had a large horn on its forehead.

"So that's a Dewgong, huh?" said Tristan as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Dewgong: The Sea Lion Pokémon: The evolved form of Seel,_ _"_ identified Dexter. _"Having both Water and Ice-type characteristics, this Pokémon can easily resist extreme cold."_

"Pikachu, I'm gonna start out with you, okay?" said Tristan.

Pikachu nodded and immediately jumped onto the ice field. It was very cold and very slippery.

The others watched from a nearby bench.

"Hmm," said Professor Oak. "An interesting choice."

"Why's that, Professor?" asked Hillary. "Pikachu should have the advantage, right?"

"Well, when it comes to type, it does," answered Professor Oak. "But Tristan isn't used to battling on an icy field. And when it comes to fields like that one, he could easily slip and slide away, and that could present a problem."

"I just know Tristan will come out on top," ensured Veronica.

"He'll do his best," added Eric.

The referee raised his red and green flags and shouted, "Trainers, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle)_

"Pikachu, start off with Quick Attack!" instructed Tristan.

Pikachu started charging at Dewgong with a white line trailing behind it, but the icy surface made it difficult for Pikachu to navigate, and it fell flat on its stomach.

"Pikachu gets going with a Quick Attack," said the announcer, "but it appears the field is giving it the cold shoulder!"

"Pikachu!" exclaimed Tristan. "Are you okay?"

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Hillary. "Pikachu's Quick Attack didn't work!"

"That's because using speed attacks on this field will make things worse, not better," explained Professor Oak. "Pikachu won't be able to go fast, let alone stop easily here."

"So when Pikachu tries to use Quick Attack, in this sense, it's a weakness!" exclaimed Hillary.

"Tough luck, kid!" smiled Lancaster. "I think it's time you learn that you can't heat things up on this field. Dewgong, Aurora Beam!"

A mysterious multi-colored beam was unleashed from Dewgong's horn, and it struck Pikachu hard, causing it to go into a spin on the ice.

"Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

"Aurora Beam scores a direct hit, causing problems for Pikachu!" boomed the announcer.

"This isn't good," said Veronica worriedly. "If Pikachu doesn't straighten itself out, it won't be able to defend itself from any of Dewgong's attacks."

"Come on, Tristan!" shouted Hillary.

"All right, Dewgong, Headbutt!" commanded Lancaster.

Dewgong easily charged forward on the ice at Pikachu with its horn as the driving force.

It was then that Tristan saw some ice pillars on the ice field. Even though he couldn't use Quick Attack without slipping up, he might be able to use them to his advantage. "All right, Pikachu, slide on the ice, and use those pillars to change direction!"

 _(Music Cue: Gym 1 1997-1998 (as heard in "The Rivalry Revival"))_

Pikachu complied, and sure enough, it easily dodged Dewgong's Headbutt. Using the pillars, it changed direction easily, allowing it to go in faster and faster circles, confusing Dewgong in the process.

"Look at that!" said the announcer. "Pikachu's used the ice pillars not only as a slippery defense, but also allowing it to go in any direction!"

"Now that's slick thinking," remarked Professor Oak.

"And the faster Pikachu goes, the easier it is to change direction," added Hillary.

Lancaster was getting frustrated. "We can't lose this one, Dewgong! Aurora Beam!" she yelled.

Dewgong shot another mysterious colored beam at Pikachu, but Pikachu slid too fast for it to work.

Pikachu then grabbed Dewgong by the tail, surprising both it and Lancaster.

"All right, Pikachu, give it a Thunderbolt!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" shouted Pikachu as it unleashed a powerful yellow bolt of electricity at close range.

"Pikachu's Thunderbolt scores a direct hit!" boomed the announcer.

"Dewgong, no!" cried Lancaster.

Dewgong collapsed on the ice and fainted.

"Dewgong is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The crowd roared in excitement as Lancaster returned Dewgong to its Pokéball.

"Great work, Pikachu!" commended Tristan.

Pikachu replied happily.

"Sliding on the ice was an excellent strategy," remarked Veronica. "I felt like I was watching a bumper pool match."

"You can always count on Tristan to come through time after time," added Professor Oak.

"Pikachu's slippery moves have given Tristan an early lead!" said the announcer. "Now we wait for Lancaster's second Pokémon."

"I choose Swinub!" shouted Lancaster as she threw her second Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real Vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo!"))_

A small Pokémon with a pink pig-like nose emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Its entire body was covered in dense, brown, striped hair.

"Lancaster's second Pokémon is a Swinub!" boomed the announcer.

"Oh, wow!" remarked Professor Oak. "This is a treat!"

"What do you mean, Professor?" asked Hillary.

"Swinub is a Pokémon that normally lives in the Johto region," explained Professor Oak. "Lancaster must have brought it along not just for show."

"Will Tristan know enough about Swinub?" asked Veronica nervously.

"I'm afraid his current Pokédex won't do him any good," answered Professor Oak. "For now, he has to be prepared to face anything that comes his way."

"Begin!" shouted the referee to Tristan and Lancaster as he raised both flags in the air.

"All right, Pikachu, your Thunderbolt worked before, so let's do it again!" suggested Tristan.

Pikachu unleashed a powerful yellow bolt of electricity at Swinub.

"Just stay there, Swinub," instructed Lancaster.

Swinub stayed where it was as it was struck by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Yes! Direct hit!" said Tristan excitedly.

But a few seconds later, Swinub broke out of Pikachu's Thunderbolt like it was nothing.

"What happened?" gasped Tristan.

"Pikachu's Thunderbolt has no effect!" boomed the announcer.

"No effect?" gasped Hillary. "But that means..."

"Right," replied Professor Oak. "Swinub is part Ground-type, so Pikachu's Electric attacks won't do anything against it. I imagine this took Tristan by surprise."

"Boy, Tristan, you really need to get out more often," said Lancaster, who was rather bored. "All right, Swinub, Take Down attack!"

Swinub charged at Pikachu and rammed it hard, giving it a lot of damage.

"Swinub's Take Down scores big time!" boomed the announcer. "This could be the end for Pikachu!"

"Hang on, Pikachu!" cried Tristan.

But Pikachu collapsed on the ice, knocked out from the damage it took.

"Pikachu is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

The crowd roared in excitement.

"Lancaster's Swinub is a powerful contender!" said the announcer.

Tristan quickly rushed to Pikachu, even though the ice was a bit slippery to manage. "Pikachu, are you okay, buddy?"

Pikachu gave a weak but happy reply.

"You were awesome, Pikachu," said Tristan. "You deserve a rest." He gently carried Pikachu to the green box and placed it next to him.

"Swinub took out Pikachu with just one attack," said Hillary.

"Yes, that Swinub is very strong," added Eric.

"What will Tristan's second Pokémon be?" asked the announcer.

Tristan took out his second Pokéball, threw it, and shouted, "Lapras, go!"

 _(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))_

Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"Tristan's second Pokémon is Lapras!" said the announcer.

"A Lapras?!" exclaimed Lancaster.

"Looks like Tristan made a very wise move," remarked Professor Oak. "Lapras has the advantage of type and size this time."

"We won't let this technicality stop us!" shouted Lancaster. "Swinub, Tackle attack!"

Swinub quickly charged at Lapras and tried to ram into it, but Lapras's massive size made Swinub just bounce off.

"Uh-oh!" said the announcer. "Swinub tried to Tackle Lapras head on, but Lapras proves to be way too big!"

"Lapras, use your Body Slam!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras jumped high into the air and quickly landed on top of Swinub.

"Lapras's Body Slam puts the squeeze on Swinub!" boomed the announcer.

"Swinub!" cried Lancaster.

Lapras got off of Swinub, who had fainted from being squished.

"Swinub is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

"Way to go, Lapras!" commended Tristan.

Lapras replied happily.

"This time, Lapras knocked out Swinub with just one attack," remarked Veronica.

"Sometimes, size matters," explained Professor Oak. "It may not always work out, however."

"But Lapras proved it this time," added Hillary. "And now, all Tristan has to do it beat Lancaster's last Pokémon and he'll win the match."

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (both parts))_

"Now Lancaster is down to her last Pokémon!" said the announcer. "The question is what will her last Pokémon be?"

"Go, Jynx!" shouted Lancaster as she threw her last Pokéball.

A bipedal Pokémon resembling a woman with long blonde hair emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a dark purple face with pink lips, white arms, wore a red gown that hid its feet, and saucer-shaped eyes.

"Lancaster's final Pokémon is a Jynx!" boomed the announcer.

Tristan had never seen a Pokémon quite like that before. "Let's see what Dexter has to say," he said as he took out his Pokédex.

 _"Jynx: The Human Shape Pokémon,"_ identified Dexter. _"This Pokémon has some very unusual powers. Its special attack is the Lovely Kiss, which puts its opponent into a deep sleep."_

"You'd better be careful, Lapras," advised Tristan. "There's no telling how powerful those lips are when Jynx uses its Lovely Kiss attack."

Lapras nodded in reply.

"Jynx, use Blizzard attack, go!" commanded Lancaster.

Jynx exhaled a strong, cold blast of wind and snow from its mouth. Tristan had to cover his face so he wouldn't freeze.

"Jynx is using Blizzard to make things even colder, yet somehow, Lapras seems to be unaffected!" said the announcer.

Sure enough, Lapras didn't mind Jynx's Blizzard at all.

"Why use Blizzard now?" asked Hillary. She was confused.

"Lapras has Ice-type characteristics, so it should be fine," said Veronica.

"Yes, but keep in mind that most opponents use a Blizzard attack not just to attack, but also to launch a surprise attack," added Professor Oak. "And I have a feeling that the surprise is coming."

Jynx's Blizzard was so strong that Tristan and Lapras couldn't see anything.

"Lovely Kiss!" shouted Lancaster.

Jynx suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and in a twinkling, its pink lips glowed as it kissed Lapras on the cheek.

"Jynx appears out of the blizzard and unleashes a powerful Lovely Kiss," said the announcer. "This could be nighty-night for Lapras!"

Lapras's eyes grew heavy, and it soon fell fast asleep.

"Lapras, try to shake it off and wake up!" shouted Tristan.

But it was no use. Lapras was out like a light and out of the match as the referee raised his red flag in the air.

The crowd roared in excitement. However, Tristan's friends were very disappointed.

"Jynx cleverly used Blizzard to create whiteout conditions, and when Lapras wasn't expecting it, Jynx kissed it to sleep!" boomed the announcer. "Now each Trainer has only one Pokémon left for battle! The question is: what will Tristan's last Pokémon be?"

Tristan returned Lapras to its Pokéball. "Thanks for your help, Lapras," he said. "You were great." He took out Snorlax's Pokéball. "Okay, Snorlax, it's just you and me now. I choose you!" He threw the Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)_

Snorlax emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It looked tired, but was ready for action.

"Tristan's final Pokémon is Snorlax," said the announcer. "But it appears to be drowsy. Will it stay awake long enough to earn Tristan a win?"

"I never knew that Tristan had a Snorlax," said Veronica.

Professor Oak nodded. "Tristan caught it on his way to Fuschia City," explained Professor Oak. "He and I both figured that its massive belly might help it on the ice field."

"Just like wearing ice skates," replied Eric.

"We'll see if it works," said Hillary hopefully.

Snorlax yawned at Jynx. It was clearly bored.

"Snorlax appears to be yawning," said the announcer. "It seems to it that Jynx is an easy opponent! Will Jynx prove Snorlax wrong?"

"Don't underestimate Jynx, Snorlax," advised Tristan.

Lancaster was starting to lose her patience. "I don't like that Snorlax's attitude! Jynx, give it a Doubleslap!"

Jynx rushed to Snorlax and used its hands to slap it in the gut. However, Snorlax didn't even feel that attack at all.

"Snorlax is getting pummeled by Jynx's Doubleslap," said the announcer. "But it doesn't seem to be flinching!"

"Blizzard, Jynx, now!" ordered Lancaster.

Jynx exhaled another cold blast of snow and wind at Snorlax, but it wasn't fazed by Blizzard either.

"No good!" grunted Lancaster.

"Snorlax, Headbutt!" commanded Tristan.

Snorlax's head rammed into Jynx on its head.

"Ouch!" said the announcer. "Snorlax's Headbutt has given Jynx a headache!"

"No more Ms. Nice Girl!" said Lancaster angrily. "All right, Jynx, use Lovely Kiss!"

Jynx proceeded to kiss Snorlax to sleep with its lips.

"Snorlax, slide on your belly to dodge it!" instructed Tristan.

Snorlax fell onto its belly, then slid on the ice from pillar to pillar to confuse Jynx.

"Snorlax is sliding all over the ice field," said the announcer. "Now Jynx has no idea where Snorlax will appear next!"

"Jynx, use your Blizzard attack!" yelled Lancaster.

Jynx inhaled, and as it prepared to attack, Snorlax used one of the pillars to lift off into the air. By now, Snorlax was directly above Jynx.

"Okay, Snorlax, use your Body Slam at full power!" commanded Tristan.

Snorlax proceeded to land on Jynx, and as it did, the impact was so strong that it made the entire stadium shake.

When the shaking stopped, Snorlax slowly got off of Jynx.

Jynx looked like it was flattened; it had been knocked out from Snorlax's Body Slam.

The referee raised his green flag and declared, "Jynx is out of the match, and the fourth round victory goes to the green trainer, Tristan!"

 _(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998)_

The crowd cheered loudly.

"Yeah, Snorlax, we did it!" cried Tristan excitedly. He ran out onto the field to congratulate Snorlax for a job well done, but forgot about the ice, and he slipped and slid.

Snorlax's belly stopped Tristan from sliding any further.

"Phew!" said Tristan. "Thanks, Snorlax. You were awesome."

Snorlax gently picked Tristan up and put him on its left shoulder.

His friends were watching from the sidelines. They were very pleased with Tristan's win.

"It looks like Snorlax isn't giving Tristan the cold shoulder," remarked Professor Oak.

"Nope, it's giving him a rather warm shoulder," replied Veronica. "Especially since he won on all four fields."

"We should all be very proud of him," added Eric.

"I agree," said Hillary. "With as much training as he did, he definitely earned his place here."

"Tristan has earned the right to participate in Indigo Stadium for the start of the Victory Tournament after his fourth Pokémon League victory!" said the announcer.

Lancaster returned Jynx to its Pokéball and held it close. "I'm very proud of you, Jynx," she said. "You earned a good rest." Then, she thought to herself, _That Snorlax was good. And so was Tristan. But I'll do better next time._ She smiled at Tristan. "You were a great opponent to battle against, Tristan. Thanks for a great battle."

Then Tristan replied, "You were a tough opponent to beat."

"I wish you nothing but the best in the Victory Tournament."

"Thanks. I'll do my best."

Then Lancaster left the stadium as Tristan and Snorlax smiled at each other.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Meeting and Parting)_

Later at dinner, everyone was still talking about Tristan's latest victory.

"You were right, Professor Oak," said Tristan. "Snorlax did come in handy."

Professor Oak nodded. "After spending so much time at my lab, eating and sleeping are all Snorlax usually does. But it has a little time to work out every once in awhile."

"That Jynx certainly made it tough, that's for sure," said Tristan. "You know, I haven't had this much fun battling in a major tournament before. I mean, it's always fun when I win, but even if I lose every now and then, I know that a battle is a battle no matter what the outcome."

"That's the spirit, grand-sonny," replied Eric.

"I owe all of my Pokémon a great deal of thanks," said Tristan. "They've all worked hard to get us here."

Pikachu agreed.

"Now, you've slid your way into the Victory Tournament," said Veronica.

Everyone laughed at that pun.

* * *

 _And so, Tristan has won his fourth Pokémon League match. What new opponent will he have to face next? Stay tuned to find out!_

* * *

Late that night, as Blue came into the Pokémon Center, he stole more Pokémon from the losing trainers, including Lancaster's Dewgong, Swinub, and Jynx. Unfortunately, because it was so dark, he tripped on the floor as he was making his getaway, causing him to trip the security alarm.

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

Blue had no choice but to carry the bag and make a run for it.

All of the residents instantly woke up to the sound of that alarm, including Nurse Joy.

"Somebody's taking all the Pokéballs!" she gasped in horror. "Stop! Thief!" Quickly, she put on her nightgown and proceeded to chase after Blue.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	57. Chapter 57

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 57 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. Giovanni from the anime makes an appearance, as does Wendy from Team Rocket's human resources. You may remember her from the Pokémon episode "Dues and Don'ts." As always, please feel free to read and review. Provide any feedback if you so choose.**

 **TEASER: Blue's secret of joining Team Rocket is revealed. But then, he turns on Giovanni! Now, Giovanni seeks revenge for being double-crossed! And it couldn't happen at a worse time than during the Pokémon League Competition!**

 **Chapter 57: TRAITOR VS. BOSS, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Route 11 (The Road to Lavender Town (as heard in "Get Along, Little Pokémon")))_

 _In our last episode, Tristan battled on the ice field in the fourth round of the Pokémon League Competition against a trainer and a champion skier named Lancaster, who specialized in Ice-type Pokémon. Things started out icy when Pikachu battled against Dewgong. Realizing that Pikachu's Quick Attack would be useless on ice, Tristan altered his strategy and use the ice field to his advantage. One Thunderbolt later, Dewgong was taken out of the competition._

 _Next, Lancaster sent out Swinub, a Pokémon Tristan had never seen before. Pikachu's Thunderbolt was no match to Swinub's type characteristics, and Swinub quickly took down Pikachu._

 _However, the tables quickly turned when Tristan's Lapras absorbed Swinub's Tackle attack and Body-Slammed it._

 _But the battle took an even more disturbing turn when Lancaster sent out her Jynx to put Lapras to sleep with its Lovely Kiss attack._

 _Finally, Tristan sent out Snorlax and gave Jynx the Body Slam of its life after sliding on the field. That slide earned Tristan a place in the Victory Tournament as he heads into the fifth round._

 _(Music Cue: The Rockets Unveiled)_

 _But late that night, trouble arose when Blue snuck into the Pokémon Center, stole the Pokéballs from the losing trainers, and tripped the security alarm, waking every resident at the Indigo Plateau. Nurse Joy gave chase at once. Will she catch up to Blue? And what will be the outcome of this turn of events?_

* * *

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu heard the security alarm ring and burst awake at once.

"What's going on?" asked Hillary frantically.

"I don't know, sis, but we'd better check it out," replied Tristan as he and Hillary got dressed and ran out of the bedroom with Pikachu close behind.

It was then that multiple Officer Jennys and police officers arrived on the scene. They immediately shone flashlights on Tristan and Hillary as soon as they arrived in the lobby.

"Hold it right there, you two!" demanded Officer Jenny. "Give back those Pokéballs!"

"What Pokéballs?" asked Hillary.

"Quit lying and drop 'em!" snapped Officer Jenny. "Or I'll place you under arrest for theft!"

"But we didn't take them, Officer Jenny! Honest!" insisted Tristan.

"Pika-pika!" added Pikachu.

"What's going on here?" asked a stern voice.

Everyone saw Nurse Joy arriving in the lobby.

"I was chasing after the thief who stole those Pokéballs and you accuse these two innocent children of stealing them instead?" she fumed. "The only thing you've done is let the real criminal get away! And you call yourselves police officers?! I'm very, very disappointed in every one of you. Jumping to conclusions without gathering up the facts! It's just disgraceful!"

All of the police officers shrugged their shoulders.

Tristan and Hillary were quietly amazed.

"Whoa," whispered Tristan. "I wouldn't want to get on Nurse Joy's bad side."

"I'll say," agreed Hillary quietly.

"Did you actually _see_ these children in the storage room and take the Pokéballs?" asked Nurse Joy sternly. "Well, did you?"

All of the officers shook their heads.

"I didn't think so," said Nurse Joy. "These two children were fast asleep when the theft occurred, and they were nowhere near the storage room, let alone any of the Pokéballs. Take a look at the footage on this security camera, and I'll prove it." And she pointed to a computer screen showing video of what happened in the storage room a few minutes prior to the theft.

 _(Music Cue: Sneaking from the Shadows)_

She stopped at the exact moment when a person in a black suit appeared and gathered up all the Pokéballs in a big sack.

"Something about that guy seems very familiar," said Hillary suspiciously. "But where did we see him?"

Nurse Joy fast-forwarded to the point when the thief tripped and hit the security alarm by accident. All of the lights had gone on, and the thief's face was revealed. He had a spiky head of hair.

Tristan and Hillary were shocked at who they saw.

"That's...that's Blue!" gasped Tristan.

"Our longtime rival?" asked Hillary. "But why would he take all the Pokéballs?"

It was then that Tristan saw Blue's clothes more closely. "Hillary, look at this!"

Sure enough, he was seen in a black uniform with a red letter R on it.

"It can't be!" exclaimed Hillary. "Blue is a member of Team Rocket?!"

"You don't mean Blue Oak, one of Professor Oak's grandsons, do you?" asked Officer Jenny, who was just as shocked as Tristan and Hillary were.

Tristan and Hillary nodded their heads.

"I think Professor Oak needs to hear about this," said Officer Jenny. Then she and the other police officers lowered their heads in shame. "We're sorry we accused you of theft. Please forgive us all."

"We're just glad that things worked out," replied Hillary.

"Okay, we need to pay a visit to Professor Oak, so let's move, men!" ordered Officer Jenny as she and the other police officers ran out of the Pokémon Center.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all breathed sighs of relief.

"Thanks for your help, Nurse Joy," said Tristan.

"Oh, you're welcome," she chuckled. "Seeing you two get arrested for a crime you didn't commit is the last thing I need."

"But now, we need to figure out why Blue joined Team Rocket in the first place," said Tristan.

* * *

Meanwhile, Officer Jenny and her team of police officers arrived at the place Professor Oak was staying and told him of the situation. His reaction was immediate.

"Blue? BLUE OAK?!"

"I'm afraid so, Professor," replied Officer Jenny. "Has Blue ever told you about this?"

"No, he hasn't," answered Professor Oak. "In fact, he never called me at all ever since he first left on his journey all these months ago! Sure, I get calls from Tristan and Hillary every so often, but that's to be expected. Did I ever get a phone call from Blue? Not that I know of!" He was starting to lose patience.

"Calm down, Professor," said Officer Jenny. "We'll track him down. He couldn't have gone far. We have police officers looking for him as we speak."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Mighty Mewtwo)_

Meanwhile, Blue was still on the run from the Pokémon Center with the sack of Pokéballs in hand. At that moment, a voice on the radio said...

"Calling Blue Oak. This is Giovanni. Are you reading me?"

Blue grumbled and put the bag of Pokéballs on the ground. "Sometimes, Giovanni has the worst timing," he said to himself. "I'm quitting this lame team and dealing with Tristan myself. He'll never survive my onslaught of Pokémon I've managed to collect." He spoke into the radio. "Yes, I'm here, Giovanni."

"Did you get that bag of Pokéballs like you were supposed to?" asked Giovanni.

"Yes, I did," answered Blue.

"Excellent," said Giovanni. "Bring them to me immediately, so that I may rule the world."

It was then that a sickening turn of events took place.

"Did you hear me, Blue?" said Giovanni in a louder and more frustrated tone. "Bring them to me now!"

Blue just stood there. Then he finally said, "No."

Giovanni was shocked. "What do you mean, "no?" I gave you an order! DO IT!"

"I've had it with this lame evil team," said Blue defiantly. "From now on, just call me a free agent."

Then he dropped his radio and crushed it under his feet.

* * *

Back at Team Rocket Headquarters, Giovanni was still trying to reach Blue. "Blue, come in! BLUE!"

But there was no response. Giovanni's radio emitted nothing but static.

Giovanni seethed in anger. "Apparently, I've been double-crossed. Well, that does it. No more Mr. Nice Guy." He immediately telephoned the human resources division of Team Rocket.

A woman with green hair answered her video phone in her office. "Yes, this is Wendy."

"Wendy, this is Giovanni. Take Blue off of our list of employees," said Giovanni on the video phone.

"Yes, master Giovanni," replied Wendy. "I thought you had news on that Jessie and that fruit smoothie."

"Never mind her!" fumed Giovanni. "I want you to take Blue off our list. He's double-crossed me for the last time."

"He's double-crossed you the only time," retorted Wendy.

"Just take him off that list," said Giovanni. "I'm going to the Indigo Plateau, and I'll deal with him myself."

"Understood, sir," replied Wendy.

The video transmission ended.

A few moments later, Giovanni got into his helicopter, took off into the sky, and headed directly toward the Indigo Plateau as fast as he could.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was doing some investigating of her own. "Apparently, there have been a number of thefts from the storage room for the past four nights," she said to Tristan and Hillary.

 _(Music Cue: A Creeping Threat)_

"Four nights?" asked Hillary.

"Have the other trainers reported this to you?" asked Tristan.

"They have," answered Nurse Joy. "Unfortunately, we hadn't been able to track down who stole them until now. The darkness of the past four nights concealed the thief's identity. But now that we know who stole the Pokéballs, we have to find out where Blue is hiding so we can get them back from him before he takes them to Team Rocket Headquarters."

"But how are we supposed to find him, let alone all the Pokéballs he stole?" asked Hillary.

Just then, several trainers, including Lancaster, showed up.

"Those must be all the losing trainers from yesterday!" said Hillary to Tristan.

"Nurse Joy!" said Lancaster frantically. "My Pokéballs are gone! Have you seen them?"

"I'm afraid I don't have them," answered Nurse Joy sadly. "And unfortunately, the person who took them is now on the run."

"This is an outrage!" shouted Lancaster. "I came to check on the Pokémon and someone has the nerve to steal them all?!"

Tristan and Hillary turned to each other.

"This is bad," whispered Hillary. "We need to find Blue before more trainers find out about this theft."

"You're right, sis, let's go find Blue," replied Tristan as he, Hillary, and Pikachu quickly disappeared into the crowd and out of the Pokémon Center. They knew that time wasn't on their side, so they ran off to find Blue as fast as they could.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the Pokémon League Village, Blue was having the time of his life. He had ripped off his Team Rocket uniform.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Blue. "Now it doesn't matter how many Pokémon I have. I can beat Tristan's six Pokémon with ease now."

"Stop right there, Blue!" ordered a voice. The voice belonged to Tristan.

Blue was surprised to see Tristan and Hillary standing in his way. But then his expression of surprise turned into joy. "Hey!" he said. "I was looking forward to seeing you, guys. My rival, Tristan, should definitely be strong to keep me sharp."

"And why is that, Blue?" asked Hillary.

"While working on my Pokédex these past few weeks, I looked all over for powerful Pokémon, including those that were newly discovered!" explained Blue. "Not only that, I managed to collect a massive number of Pokémon and assembled many teams that would beat any Pokémon type. And now, I have what it takes to beat you and become the next champion!"

"Stop making up stories, Blue!" demanded Tristan. "We know you stole those Pokéballs, and we know you're working for Team Rocket!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," said Blue as he waved his pointer finger. "You don't get it, do you? I _was_ working for Team Rocket."

"What do you mean 'was?'" asked Hillary suspiciously.

"I used that excuse as a ploy for them to lower their guard," explained Blue. "Get it? I stole these Pokéballs because they thought I wanted to work for them. But little did they know that I was just stealing these Pokémon so I could beat Tristan."

"You know you can't win with Pokémon that don't rightfully belong to you," said Tristan.

"But now that I have this many Pokémon, I can!" replied Blue. "Now, I'm the most powerful trainer in the world!"

Presently, everyone heard the whirring of helicopter blades close by. The wind from those blades was very strong.

"What's going on here?" bellowed Hillary.

Then everyone saw the red letter R on the helicopter.

"It's Team Rocket!" shouted Tristan.

"I have a bad feeling it isn't just Team Rocket we have to worry about!" replied Hillary.

The helicopter landed on the ground and the door opened. Who should step out but Giovanni himself. He didn't look very happy, yet he had a wicked smile on his face.

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

"It's Giovanni," whispered Tristan.

"What's he doing here?" asked Hillary.

"Well, Blue," smiled Giovanni. "It seems that you have mastered the art of the double-cross. It's too bad you had to use it on me. You had so much potential. So I'm afraid I'll have to step in now and battle you for double-crossing me."

"Is this what Blue meant when he said he 'was' working for Team Rocket?" asked Hillary.

"This bag of Pokéballs does not belong to you!" said Blue. "It belongs to me! And I'm going to use them to defeat you!"

"Ah ah ah!" said Giovanni. "That bag of Pokéballs is off limits. You may not use them." He turned to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, who were trying to sneak away with the bag of Pokéballs. "And don't think I've left you out of the equation, little kiddies."

Giovanni snapped his fingers. At that instant, an army of Team Rocket Grunts surrounded them.

"Don't even think about running away with that heavy bag," advised Giovanni. "Because there's no way to escape. I won't let you interfere with my plan. So put the bag of Pokéballs down like good little children."

"Great," said Tristan. "Now what do we do?"

"We'll figure something out," replied Hillary. "But for now, we'll have to do what he says."

Reluctantly, they put the bag of Pokéballs down on the ground.

"As I was saying," continued Giovanni. "That bag is off limits. So, Blue, if you want that bag of Pokéballs back in your possession, you'll have to battle me with your own Pokémon."

"You're insane!" shouted Blue.

"Beat me in a battle, little boy, and I'll release you and the Pokéballs as promised," said Giovanni. "But fail, and not only will this bag of Pokéballs be mine, but all of your Pokémon will be, too."

"This is crazy!" exclaimed Tristan. "If Blue loses, then he loses his Pokémon!"

"And there's nothing we'll be able to do to stop him!" added Hillary.

Blue growled in frustration. At last, he said, "All right, I accept your challenge."

"Excellent, little boy," said Giovanni. "Let's make this a full battle, just to make this more interesting." Then, he turned to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. "You three may leave... _without_ the bag of Pokéballs. This circle of friends is getting a little too crowded. I'll need a lot of space to deal this other friend a crushing defeat."

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu saw the Rocket Grunts make a path for them, and they despondently left the circle.

Then, the Rocket Grunts closed it again.

The children had no choice but to watch the battle from outside the circle.

"Now let's get down to business, little boy," said Giovanni as he took out his first Pokéball. "I choose Kingler."

 _(Music Cue: Radi!)_

The Pokéball opened, and Kingler emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"I won't need the bag of Pokéballs to defeat that thing!" said Blue as he threw his first Pokéball. "I choose Exeggutor!"

Exeggutor emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"So Blue'e Exeggcute evolved," remarked Hillary. "And not only that, Exeggutor should have the advantage against a Water-type like Kingler."

"Yes, but you can't win against a Pokémon by type alone," reminded Tristan. "Blaine from the Cinnabar Island Gym told us that."

"Exeggutor, start out with Stomp!" ordered Blue.

Exeggutor jumped and used its big feet to try and stomp on Kingler.

However, Giovanni was quite unconcerned. "Kingler, Harden now."

Kingler's body glowed in a light blue color. Its entire body became rock-solid, causing Exeggutor's Stomp to bounce off.

"Exeggutor, try a Leech Seed!" commanded Blue.

Exeggutor fired a flurry of brown seeds from the top of its leaves.

"Kingler, use your pincers to knock those seeds away," instructed Giovanni.

Kingler furiously waved its hard pincers around. Sure enough, those seeds were no match against them.

Blue gasped in shock.

"Now finish it up with Crabhammer," instructed Giovanni.

Kingler slammed its claw into the ground, and a powerful white orb was launched at Exeggutor.

"Exeggutor, get away, quick!" shouted Blue.

But it was too late, for Kingler's Crabhammer was too fast for Exeggutor to dodge in time; Crabhammer had scored a direct hit.

"No! Kingler!" cried Blue.

Exeggutor collapsed on the ground, knocked out.

"Poor Exeggutor," said Hillary. She was very disappointed as she turned to Tristan. "I see what you mean when you said that you can't win by type alone."

 _I hate to admit it, but Giovanni seems like a person who doesn't mess around,_ thought Tristan.

"Well, that's the end of the first round," snickered Giovanni. "Care to try again?"

"I'm just getting warmed up!" answered Blue as he returned Exeggutor to its Pokéball. He immediately took out his second one. "Go, Cloyster!"

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Trainer Battle (Version 2 (as heard in "The Battle of the Badge")))_

Cloyster emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"So, you've chosen a Cloyster," said Giovanni. "You're hoping that Cloyster's rock-hard shell will prove to be enough to stop my Kingler from attacking you. Well, I'm afraid your calculations this time are way off. Kingler, prove him wrong for me, won't you?"

Kingler charged at Cloyster with its hard claws as the driving force.

"Cloyster, stop it with Spike Cannon!" yelled Blue.

Cloyster glowed white as its spikes aimed for the approaching Kingler. Then it fired multiple spikes at it.

Kingler was bombarded by Cloyster's attack, stopping it in its tracks.

"Hm. Not bad," smiled Giovanni.

"It looks like Cloyster might win this one," said Hillary excitedly.

"I think you're right, sis," replied Tristan.

Cloyster's Spike Cannon continued to score hit after hit on Kingler.

"Now stop it with Ice Beam!" commanded Blue.

Cloyster fired a beam of ice-cold energy at Kingler. Sure enough, Ice Beam scored a direct hit on it, freezing it solid.

"Take that!" said Blue.

But Kingler broke free of the ice a few seconds after that, much to Blue's shock.

"Come on, now," smiled Giovanni. "You didn't really think that I would allow an Ice Beam attack to freeze my Kingler that easily, did you?"

Blue grunted. Ice Beam was his chance to stall Kingler for as long as possible, and it didn't work in his favor.

"I grow bored of this battle," said Giovanni. "Kingler, use Crabhammer and finish it off."

Kingler slammed its claw into the ground once again, and another powerful orb of energy was released.

"Cloyster, withdraw into your shell, quick!" shouted Blue.

Cloyster immediately closed its shell just as Crabhammer was about to hit. And when it did, the shell remained fully intact.

"You just don't seem to learn your lesson, do you?" said Giovanni. "All right, Kingler, it's time to smash that shell wide open."

Kingler used its hard claws and began repeatedly hitting Cloyster's hard shell.

"Why is Kingler hitting its shell?" asked Hillary.

"Obviously, he wants to crack it so that it won't be able to defend itself from any attack Giovanni throws its way," said Tristan. "And when he does, Cloyster will be in real trouble."

Kingler kept pounding Cloyster's hard shell over and over. All the while, Cloyster was getting weaker and weaker.

 _Cloyster can't last much longer at this rate,_ thought Blue.

Then, Cloyster's shell began to crack.

"Now, Kingler, finish it off!" commanded Giovanni.

Kingler let out a devastating Crabhammer blast on Cloyster, scoring a direct hit and smashing its shell in a tremendous explosion in the process.

"Cloyster!" cried Blue.

When the smoke cleared, Cloyster had been knocked out. It was mostly intact, but a few fragments of its shell lay next to it.

"Well, I'd say Cloyster was shell-shocked," snickered Giovanni.

"That's the second knockout in a row for Giovanni!" said Hillary.

"I know," replied Tristan. "Blue has to think of something to get back in the game."

Blue returned Cloyster to its Pokéball, shell fragments and all.

But then, Giovanni also returned Kingler to its Pokéball.

"Why is Giovanni switching Pokémon now?" asked Tristan.

"He's gotta be up to something," replied Hillary.

"All right, dear Persian, it's time for you to play," said Giovanni as he took out his second Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in the beginning of "Volcanic Panic")_

The Pokéball opened and Persian emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked very strong, indeed. It growled as it prepared to battle Blue's third Pokémon.

"So, a Persian," said Blue. "Sandslash, let's go!" He threw his third Pokéball.

Sandslash emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"So, a Sandslash is up next," said Giovanni. "Let's see if it has what it takes to defeat my Persian. Though I highly doubt it."

"Sandslash, use Fury Swipes!" shouted Blue.

"Persian, counter with your Fury Swipes," instructed Giovanni.

Sandslash and Persian both used their sharp claws to swipe at each other, but to no avail.

"Looks like a standoff," said Tristan.

"You're right," replied Hillary.

"So, little boy, why don't you use something other than Fury Swipes?" suggested Giovanni. "Then maybe you might be able to beat my Persian."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," advised Blue. "Go, Sandslash, Earthquake now!"

"No, Blue! Call off your attack!" warned Tristan. "It's a trap!"

"Pika pika!" added Pikachu.

Unfortunately, Tristan's warning was just a little too late, for Sandslash backed away from Persian, then it jumped high into the air as high as it could. From that height, it landed on the ground, and as it did, powerful shock waves rattled the ground straight toward Persian.

However, that was the opening Giovanni was waiting for. "Gotcha," he said. "All right, Persian, jump now."

Persian jumped high over the shock waves, rendering Sandslash's Earthquake attack useless.

"Uh-oh!" gasped Blue.

"Now, pounce on Sandslash with Slash attack!" commanded Giovanni.

Persian descended rapidly on Sandslash with its sharp claws. Sandslash was wide open for Persian's attack.

* * *

 _And so, with the fate of the bag of Pokéballs and Blue's Pokémon at stake, Blue finds himself in a precarious situation! Will he be able to turn this match around and defeat Giovanni? Find out in our next heart-stopping episode!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	58. Chapter 58

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is Chapter 58 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. I was inspired by the two-parter on _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ when Seto Kaiba duels against Maxamillion Pegasus. But you don't have to take my word for it. As always, please feel free to read, review, and provide any feedback.**

 **TEASER: Blue continues his battle against Giovanni. But Giovanni proves to be a formidable opponent. Will Blue be able to defeat him? Or is Giovanni too much for him to handle?**

 **Chapter 58: TRAITOR VS. BOSS, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: Victory Road (Last Road 1997-1998))_

 _In our last episode, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were awakened by a security alarm because a thief had tripped it. They soon discovered that the thief was Blue, Tristan's longtime rival. He had joined Team Rocket to steal all the Pokémon from all the losing trainers in the Pokémon League Competition._

 _Realizing that Blue had to be stopped, our heroes quickly went after him. They found him carrying the heavy bag of Pokéballs, but to their surprise, he only wanted to steal them so he could use them to defeat Tristan in a battle._

 _However, Giovanni, Team Rocket's leader, didn't take kindly to Blue's betrayal, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and flew directly to the Indigo Plateau. He arrived a short time later and challenged Blue to a battle with his Pokémon and the bag of Pokéballs at stake._

 _Our heroes were close to sneaking away with the bag of Pokéballs; close but not near enough, for_ _Giovanni had an army of Team Rocket Grunts force our heroes out of the battle without it. They could only watch as Giovanni used Kingler first while Blue used his newly-evolved Exeggutor. Despite the type advantage, Exeggutor was no match for Kingler's sheer power._

 _Next, Blue sent out his Cloyster, hoping that its hard shell would be enough to defend against Kingler's claws. But even this turned out to be futile, for Kingler used its sharp claws to smash into its shell over and over, cracking it just enough to finish it off with a Crabhammer blast at close range._

 _Having lost two of his Pokémon already, he decided to use his Sandslash to try and even the score, but unfortunately, Giovanni used his ace-in-the-hole, Persian. Going against Tristan's warnings, Blue had Sandslash use an Earthquake attack. In doing so, however, Sandslash made itself vulnerable to Persian's next attack, so Giovanni had Persian jump into the air and it proceeded to pounce down on Sandslash. Will Blue find a way to turn this battle around? Stay tuned for the answer!_

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

Persian was closing in on Sandslash with its Slash attack.

"Look out, Sandslash!" shouted Tristan and Hillary together.

"Pikachu!" added Pikachu.

"Quick, Sandslash, use Dig!" shouted Blue.

Quick as a flash, Sandslash used its sharp claws to dig a hole underground and avoided Persian's Slash attack just in time.

"Very clever, boy," smiled Giovanni. "However, Persian can still use attacks like Doube Team to protect itself."

Sure enough, Persian quickly made illusory copies of itself surrounding the hole Sandslash dug.

Presently, Sandslash appeared from underground, but unfortunately, it only hit one of the copies of Persian.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Blue.

"Slash attack," instructed Giovanni.

Persian extended its claws and gave Sandslash a good scratching, scoring a direct hit in the process.

"Sandslash!" cried Blue.

The damage that Sandslash took was too much, and it collapsed and fainted.

Blue returned Sandslash to its Pokéball.

"This is bad," said Tristan. "The battle just started and Blue's already three Pokémon behind!"

"I've never seen Blue so shaken before," added Hillary.

Sure enough, Blue was starting to get more and more nervous as sweat began to drop down on his face.

 _Now you see how feeble your battling skills really are, little boy,_ thought Giovanni. _I make you look like a novice._

 _This is absurd,_ thought Blue. _Giovanni seems to know every strategy I think up. But there's no way I'll lose. My will to beat Tristan is strong, and with this next Pokémon, I'll prove it._ "All right, Giovanni!" he shouted as he took out his next Pokéball. "I hope you enjoy this little surprise! Alakazam, go!" He threw the Pokéball.

Alakazam emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked a lot like Kadabra, but it had two spoons instead of one.

"Blue's Kadabra must have evolved, too," said Tristan.

"I guess you weren't the only one training Pokémon," replied Hillary.

"So, an Alakazam this time," smiled Giovanni. "I hate to admit it, boy, but I'm surprised to see a Psychic-type on your team. But then again, ever since I saw your battle against Tristan at the Trainer House Stadium, nothing you do surprises me anymore."

"What do you mean?" asked Blue suspiciously.

"Just listen," replied Giovanni as he began to tell his story.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)_

"When I saw your battle, I knew I had a pupil in the making," explained Giovanni. "And as I recall, you were seeking your revenge against Tristan after he beat you time after time. Your Jolteon had put up a remarkable fight against Tristan's Lapras, Blastoise, and Pikachu. You had battled mercilessly that day and gave Tristan a crushing defeat. You had broken his battling spirit. That gave me the chance I needed to take him out of the picture once and for all. So I contacted you to help me with my plan. It took a lot of effort on my part just to get you to say yes. Not only would you become famous as one of the best battlers in Team Rocket history, but you would also be rich beyond your wildest dreams. And your name would go down in Team Rocket infamy!

* * *

"But then, you had to take the Pokéballs all for yourself instead of Team Rocket," fumed Giovanni. "I was supposed to teach you the art of the double-cross when it came to meeting your enemies. Disguises, lies, deceit, everything I knew. But instead, you had already mastered it all, and used it to cheat me out of all the Pokémon I had put so much work into stealing! And if there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's being lied to by one of my own! And it's all your fault!"

"But you didn't do anything!" protested Blue. "You spent so much time hiding away from the action that you didn't have the nerve to do it yourself! And if anyone's to blame for this little mishap, it's you!"

Giovanni paused for a moment. Then he said calmly, "Well, I see you've made your point, little boy, so now, it's only fair that I make my point." Then his voice turned from cool and calm to anger and outrage. "I've listened to your nonsense for too long now! So now, it's time to raise the stakes! If I win, not only will I claim the Pokéballs and your Pokémon, but I'll claim you as my prisoner...forever! Now that should keep that big mouth of yours shut!"

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation (1997-1998 (as heard in "Bound For Trouble")))_

This made Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all gasp in horror. They never expected Giovanni to stoop this low. If Blue lost, not only would he lose his Pokémon, but he would also lose his freedom.

"Alakazam, use Psychic!" yelled Blue.

Alakazam's eyes glowed red, as did Persian's outline.

Persian was lifted into the air.

"Throw it now!" shouted Blue.

Alakazam used its telekinetic powers to toss Persian with all its might. Persian suffered a hard blow and lay on the ground.

"Persian!" gasped Giovanni. He was shocked at seeing Persian thrown around like that.

Persian struggled to its feet, but soon collapsed again. Apparently, the fall to the ground injured it enough that it couldn't stay on its feet for long.

Quickly, Giovanni rushed to Persian. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Persian gave a weak reply.

"You'd better get some rest," said Giovanni as he returned Persian to its Pokéball.

"That's what you get for making threats against me!" said Blue defiantly.

"All right!" said Hillary excitedly. "Now Giovanni's down one Pokémon!"

"Yes, but keep in mind, he still has five Pokémon remaining," reminded Tristan. "There'll be plenty of time to celebrate...later."

Giovanni faced Blue and said, "It's amazing what you can do when you've mastered the power of anger, Blue," he smiled. "However, anger has its limits, too. Let me prove it to you by sending out another one of my prized Pokémon." He took out a Pokéball.

 _(Music Cue: Real and Copy! Which are the Strongest?)_

The Pokéball opened and a bipedal Pokémon with a drill-like horn emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"It's Rhydon!" gasped Hillary.

"I faced that same Rhydon in my Gym battle with this guy last time!" exclaimed Tristan.

Pikachu agreed with him.

 _Giovanni must have something big planned,_ thought Blue. _I have to think of a way to distract that Rhydon somehow, and I'd better think fast!_

"So, Blue," said Giovanni. "Let's see if your Alakazam has what it takes to defeat my Rhydon. Because if memory serves me correctly, it's your best and only shot of winning your freedom."

"Alakazam, Kinesis!" shouted Blue.

Alakazam bent a spoon as Rhydon watched it.

Rhydon became temporarily distracted as a result.

"Use your Psybeam!" yelled Blue.

Alakazam shot a mysterious colored beam from the two spoons in its hands. Its Psybeam scored a direct hit on Rhydon, but a few seconds later, Rhydon shook it off.

"Oh, no!" gasped Blue.

"Horn Drill!" commanded Giovanni.

Rhydon spun its drill as it charged for Alakazam.

Alakazam was so frozen with fear that it didn't have time to dodge Horn Drill.

Rhydon scored a direct hit so huge that it sent Alakazam up into the sky, much to Blue's horror.

"Aah!" screamed Blue.

A few seconds later, Alakazam hit the ground hard and fainted.

"Well, it looks like you know the drill now," chuckled Giovanni.

"Return, Alakazam!" shouted Blue as he called it back to its Pokéball. He was really starting to panic as he took out his fifth Pokéball and threw it. "Go Ninetales!"

Ninetales emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"It looks like Blue got himself out of the fryer and into another hot situation," said Hillary nervously.

"Yeah," agreed Tristan. "Ninetales is a Fire Pokémon, and Rock-types like Rhydon have a huge advantage against it."

"Use Confuse Ray!" shouted Blue.

Ninetales's eyes glowed red.

Rhydon looked directly at them; soon it became confused.

"Now use your Fire Spin attack!" ordered Blue.

Ninetales shot a vortex of fire from its mouth.

Fire Spin scored a hit on Rhydon, leaving it trapped in the vortex.

Giovanni just stood there, still unconcerned.

"What's up with Giovanni?" asked Hillary suspiciously. "He's just standing there as if nothing's happening!"

"Rhydon may be trapped inside of Ninetales's Fire Spin," said Tristan, "but Rock-types like Rhydon are resistant against Fire-type attacks. Blue has to figure something out, or he'll lose this match."

Ninetales's Fire Spin attack continued to deal damage to Rhydon, albeit very little.

"So, Blue, you've managed to trap Rhydon in that Fire Spin," remarked Giovanni. "But you must have something else up your pathetic sleeve. Because if this is the best you can do, then I've already won."

"You haven't seen anything yet!" replied Blue. "Ninetales, Quick Attack!"

Ninetales sped off toward the vortex of fire with a white line trailing behind it.

Tristan and Hillary were shocked.

"What's he doing?" gasped Tristan. "He should know that Quick Attack won't do much to Rhydon!"

"I think the pressure's finally gotten to him!" added Hillary.

Just as Ninetales entered the fiery vortex and strike Rhydon with Quick Attack...

"Grab it," instructed Giovanni.

In a twinkling, Rhydon snapped out of its confusion and grabbed Ninetales.

"Ninetales!" cried Blue.

"Finish it off with Horn Drill," instructed Giovanni.

Rhydon spun its horn-like drill as Ninetales struggled to break free.

Unfortunately for Ninetales, Rhydon's grip was too strong, and Horn Drill connected with a vengeance.

"No!" exclaimed Blue.

Rhydon threw Ninetales out of the fiery vortex, causing it to land at Blue's feet with a hard thud.

"Ninetales!" gasped Blue as he gently held it. "Are you okay?"

Ninetales gave a weak reply.

 _(Music Cue: That Which Has Life)_

Blue returned Ninetales to its Pokéball, even as more sweat started to drop down Blue's face. He had never been so scared in all his life.

"This doesn't look too good, Tristan," said Hillary nervously. "What'll we do?"

"As long as those thugs keep encircling that bag of Pokéballs plus Blue and Giovanni, there's not much we can do," replied Tristan.

"Well, we can't just sit idly by and do nothing," protested Hillary.

"Believe me, I know," replied Tristan.

"Well, Blue," said Giovanni, "it looks like your window of opportunity is about to close. With only one Pokémon left against my five, there's no way you can win. Unless you have a powerful Pokémon on your side that can stop all five of mine at once. My guess is that you don't."

 _The only Pokémon I have left is Jolteon,_ thought Blue. _It's the only chance I have to beat Giovanni's five remaining Pokémon. If it doesn't, not only will I have lost this battle, I will have lost the only chance I have of battling Tristan again. I have to win!_ "If you think that I'm going to surrender just because my numbers have been better, you've got another thing coming!" he shouted as he threw his final Pokéball. "Jolteon, go!"

Jolteon emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"I was afraid he'd use Jolteon," said Tristan. "Jolteon's an Electric-type, and its Electric attacks are no match for Rhydon's Ground-type characteristics.

"You're right, big bro, this is bad," replied Hillary. "Plus Ground-type attacks are super-effective against Electric-types like Jolteon."

But suddenly, Giovanni returned Rhydon to its Pokéball.

"What's the big idea returning Rhydon when you know you have the advantage against me?" asked Blue suspiciously.

"Not to worry," answered Giovanni. "Rhydon just needs a good rest. Maybe you'll have an easier time with this Pokémon." He took out his third Pokéball.

"What's with Giovanni all of a sudden?" asked Hillary. "I thought he was going to use his Rhydon to clinch the match for him."

"You're right," replied Tristan. "It isn't like him to give up a type advantage like that. Perhaps he wants to give Blue an easier time by battling with Kingler."

Unfortunately, Tristan was wrong, for Giovanni's third Pokéball opened and a bipedal tortoise-like Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had plated green rocks as its shell. It had short arms and legs, and its head was at the very center of the shell.

"Who's that Pokémon?" asked Hillary.

"Let's see what Dexter has to say," said Tristan as he scanned Giovanni's newest Pokémon with his Pokédex.

 _"Golem: The Megaton Pokémon: The final evolution of Geodude,"_ identified Dexter. " _Golem can easily withstand blasts of dynamite without taking any damage. Its body is as hard as stone, and weighs over 660 pounds."_

"Six hundred sixty pounds?!" exclaimed Hillary. "Gosh, that's heavy!"

"Not only that," added Tristan, "Golem's got the same characteristics as Rhydon, so Blue's really got his hands full now."

Blue took a good look at Giovanni's Golem. It looked really strong.

 _That Golem looks like it could really give me a hard time if I'm not careful,_ thought Blue. _I don't know if there's much I can do at this point. But there's no way I'll give up this fight. For if I want to be the best and beat Tristan, I have to believe I can win._ "Jolteon," said Blue. "We may be down five Pokémon, but we won't go down and out without a real fight. So I'm gonna need all the help I can get from you, okay?"

Jolteon nodded.

"And so, the end is here," smiled Giovanni. "Not only the end of our battle, but the end of your career as a Trainer as we know it. Why, with you as my prisoner for all eternity, your goal will never be realized."

"I'll battle until your last Pokémon is defeated!" said Blue defiantly. "Jolteon, use Pin Missle!"

Jolteon fired a barrage of spikes from its fur at Golem. However, Golem's hard shell just absorbed them.

"Come on," said Giovanni. "Can't you do any better than that? Obviously your feeble attack won't hurt my Golem."

Blue grunted. "All right, Jolteon, use Thunder!"

Jolteon fired a powerful stream of electricity at Golem.

"Golem, just stand there," instructed Giovanni.

Golem did so and took Jolteon's Thunder attack, but Thunder didn't hurt Golem at all.

"Blue should know that Electric attacks won't work against Golem!" said Hillary worriedly.

"But with Jolteon as his last Pokémon, there's not much he can do," replied Tristan.

"It's quite obvious to me that you don't have what it takes to defeat me, little boy," smiled Giovanni. "So, I'm afraid it's time to kiss your victory, your Pokémon, and your career goodbye. Golem, Tackle attack!"

Golem quickly spun into a ball and rolled right at Jolteon. Its Tackle attack scored a direct hit, giving Jolteon some damage.

"Jolteon!" cried Blue.

Jolteon got back on its feet.

"Golem, use Earthquake!" commanded Giovanni.

Golem jumped into the air and landed on its feet so hard that it sent out powerful shock waves that rattled everyone in the vicinity, especially Jolteon, who was trying to hang in there for all it was worth.

"What's going on?!" exclaimed Tristan.

"An earthquake?" replied Hillary.

"Now, another Tackle attack!" ordered Giovanni.

Golem once again spun into a ball and rolled right at Jolteon, but at a much faster speed.

Jolteon tried to dodge, but Golem's Earthquake attack had rattled it so much that it threw off its timing. As a result, Golem scored another direct hit on it, causing it to hit the ground hard.

"Come on, Jolteon, you've gotta to get up!" cried Blue. "You just have to!"

Jolteon struggled to get back on its feet; however, its legs were on the verge of giving out from all the damage it took from Golem's two Tackle attacks.

"Jolteon must be trying to win this for Blue," said Tristan. "But I don't know how much longer it can keep this up."

"I hate to say it, Tristan, but it looks like this battle may be just about over," replied Hillary.

"I would say that you put up a fine battle, Blue, only you didn't," smiled Giovanni. "Because you have a pitiful excuse for a Pokémon that would better suit me than you. And to think, you started out with the very Eevee that you have evolved into a Jolteon using a Thunder Stone. It's such a shame when you consider all that's at stake. All the training and the battles you've been in, and for what? Just to prove to Tristan that you're superior to him."

Blue stood there, seemingly ready to accept his fate as he thought about all the training he did with his first Pokémon, Eevee. Then he thought of all the battles he fought against Tristan. Next he remembered the moment when he used his Thunder Stone to evolve his Eevee into a Jolteon so he could be evenly matched against Pikachu's Electric attacks. Lastly, he thought back to the moment when he gave Tristan a crushing defeat in the Trainer House Stadium.

"It's time to finish this once and for all," said Giovanni. "Golem, get close to Jolteon!"

Golem quickly charged and rammed into Jolteon, causing it to collapse.

"Jolteon, get up, quick!" cried Blue.

But Jolteon couldn't stand up anymore as it lay next to Golem's feet.

Blue knew that Jolteon was in big trouble and couldn't take any more punishing blows from Golem.

"Aw, how sad," said Giovanni. "Looks like Jolteon can't even defend itself." He turned to the Team Rocket Grunts surrounding them. "Quickly, get away from here."

All of the Rocket Grunts scurried away.

"Why is Team Rocket running away?" asked Hillary.

"I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling that we're about to find out," answered Tristan.

"Now it's time for the grand finale," said Giovanni as he stood back. "Golem, Explosion!"

As Blue stood there all panicky with sweat running down his face, Golem's entire body lit up, enveloping the vicinity in a bright white light.

Tristan and Hillary knew immediately what that meant and gasped in horror.

"Let's get out of here!" yelled Hillary at the top of her lungs.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu all tried to make a run for it, but it was too late, for an instant later, there was a tremendous explosion from Golem, causing the area to shake violently. The explosion was followed by a cloud of black smoke. It had sent Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu flying backward.

However, at the Pokémon Center, as Nurse Joy was trying to calm a crowd of angry trainers, they all heard the ground shake and saw the explosion.

"That must be Tristan and Hillary!" she gasped and immediately left to find Veronica and Eric.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part))_

When the dust cleared, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu lay unconscious on the street with some bruises. Golem had fainted from using Explosion. However, Blue and his Jolteon had been knocked out, too, with bruises and dust showing all over their bodies.

Satisfied with his victory, Giovanni returned Golem to its Pokéball. "That should take care of that traitor," he said. Then he called the Grunts back. "All right, my task is complete. Now complete your tasks and take Blue and his Pokémon."

"What about the other two kids?" asked one of the Grunts.

"Leave them alone," answered Giovanni. "But not to worry. They'll come to us soon enough."

Working in pairs of two, the Rocket Grunts took all of Blue's Pokéballs, put the bruised Jolteon into a cage, and finally loaded it, the bag of Pokéballs, and Blue into the helicopter. Wasting no time, they took off into the sky and flew directly to Team Rocket Headquarters.

* * *

 _And so, Blue's challenge against Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, ends in defeat. To make things worse, he and his Pokémon are now Giovanni's latest prisoners! Who is his next target going to be? And what of our heroes, Tristan and Hillary? The battle against Giovanni is only just beginning! So stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	59. Chapter 59

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, but here's Chapter 59 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. As always please feel free to read and review.**

 **TEASER: The Pokémon League Competition is now in jeopardy, and Tristan and Hillary's parents find themselves face to face with the mastermind behind the attempted kidnapping of Tristan!**

 **Chapter 59: PARENTS TRAPPED!**

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (first part)_

 _Last time, Blue continued his battle against Team Rocket's leader Giovanni. The reason was that Blue had tricked him by abruptly abandoning his duties as a member of Team Rocket. Unfortunately, Giovanni's Rhydon proved to be too much for Blue's Alakazam and Ninetales. And then, without missing a beat, Giovanni used his Rhydon to battle against Blue's Jolteon, his very first Pokémon as an Eevee. After an explosive ending, Blue and his Pokémon were taken captive along with the bag of Pokéballs while Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu lay unconscious. Why is Giovanni interested in Tristan? And who will be his next victim?_

* * *

"What?!" exclaimed Veronica. "What did you say?!"

"Tristan and Hillary went after Blue because he had stolen the Pokéballs from the losing trainers," explained Nurse Joy. "He'd been working for Team Rocket. Then we saw a gigantic explosion about half an hour later. It occurred just minutes ago! They might have gotten caught in the explosion!"

"You mean they could be hurt?!" exclaimed Veronica. She was outraged, and that wasn't normal for her. She clenched her fist and said, "If I were younger, I'd pulverize whoever tried to hurt my grandchildren! And that's a promise!"

Eric woke up from a sound sleep to hear his wife's ranting. "What's going on, dear?"

"Hurry and get dressed," Veronica said frantically. "We have to find our grandchildren. They might have gotten hurt in the explosion. It just happened minutes ago!"

"Oh, no!" gasped Eric. "Not Tristan and Hillary!"

* * *

A few moments later, Veronica, Eric, and Nurse Joy all ran out of the Pokémon Center. Sure enough they were shocked to see Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu lying on the street and quickly rushed over to them.

Pikachu picked up on Nurse Joy, Veronica, and Eric's footsteps and opened its eyes. It quickly rushed to Tristan and urged him to wake up as Veronica gently held him close in her arms.

"Tristan, please wake up!" implored Veronica. "You've got to be in there!"

"Hillary, open your eyes!" added Eric.

Hillary slowly opened her eyes first. "What happened?" Then she saw her grandfather. "Grandpa!"

"It's certainly good to see you," replied Eric as he hugged Hillary in his arms. To his relief, she was mostly unhurt.

Then, Tristan slowly opened his eyes. "Where am I?" Then he saw his grandparents. "Grandma? Grandpa? Is it really you guys?"

Veronica, Eric, and Nurse Joy all breathed sighs of relief.

Eric came close to Veronica and hugged Tristan tightly as well.

"We're so glad you're okay," said Eric.

"Thank goodness," added Veronica as a tear fell down from her right eye.

Pikachu quickly saw Tristan and was relieved to see him, too.

To Tristan's relief, Pikachu was okay as well. "Pikachu," he said as he hugged it in his arms. Then, he suddenly remembered something and started to get up quickly to everyone's shock. "Blue! His Pokémon! The Pokéballs! Where's Hillary? I've gotta..." But then, he collapsed back on the ground from the intense pain that he felt from getting tossed around by the explosion.

 _(Music Cue: Messenger)_

"Take it easy, dear," said Veronica. "You might be hurt."

"Don't worry," added Eric. "They're safe and sound now."

"But what about Blue?" asked Tristan frantically. He then saw that Blue and Team Rocket were gone. "I think he might have been captured!"

Everyone gasped in shock, for it was the last possibility that any one of them could have thought of.

"I have to go look for him," said Tristan as he struggled to get up again.

"Tristan, please, stay down!" implored Veronica. "I don't want you getting hurt any worse than you are now."

"Grandma's right," added Hillary. "You're not at full strength. We just experienced a massive explosion, and you may be hurting more than you know. So just sit down and take it easy for a while."

Tristan reluctantly sat back down on the ground.

"We'll need to take him and the others back to the Pokémon Center to get treated," advised Nurse Joy to Veronica and Eric.

Tristan reluctantly agreed to go.

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, the sun was just beginning to rise. Inside, Tristan's left arm was getting bandaged up.

"There you go, Tristan," said Nurse Joy. "You should feel like your old self in no time."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," replied Tristan. "But what's going to happen with the Pokémon League Competition?"

"It's hard to say for sure," answered Nurse Joy. "Since we've never seen a huge attack carried out here by Team Rocket before, we don't know what's going to happen at this point. I'll turn on the news." She pressed a button on her remote control, and a nearby TV set turned on.

A female news anchor was seen talking about a developing story that had broken out overnight. "This is a Pokémon News Special Report," she said. "Officials are still trying to figure out the details on last night's robbery at the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center and the attack Team Rocket carried out near that same location."

Tristan and the others continued watching the story unfold.

"Sources also say that a trainer by the name of Blue Oak, who had previously worked for an organization called Team Rocket was the one who had stolen the Pokéballs from the Pokémon Center," she continued. "It was then that Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, had challenged him to a battle, with a heavy bag of Pokéballs at stake. Two other witnesses and a Pikachu watched the battle unfold, and were caught in the ensuing explosion at the end. Though they suffered a few scrapes, none of them were seriously injured by the explosion."

"Those TV cameras must have come to watch Blue's battle, just like we did," remarked Tristan.

"After the battle, Team Rocket took the trainer and the Pokéballs captive," continued the reporter. "Officials say that because of the attack at the Indigo Plateau, the future of the Pokémon League Competition is still unclear."

"Oh, no," said Tristan. "If the competition doesn't continue, what will the other trainers do?"

"I don't know, Tristan," replied Hillary. "But we'll think of something."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a remote area of Kanto, two people were seen on their own journey. They were Sarah and Bill, Tristan's parents. They had heard that Tristan was in the Pokémon League competition, and they had wanted to see his battles, but thanks to Team Rocket and the attack they had carried out at the Indigo Plateau, they couldn't watch it anymore."

"It never ceases to amaze me that Team Rocket never quits," remarked Bill.

"But as long as our Tristan is battling and getting into Pokémon, it really doesn't matter," replied Sarah. "Of course, I want to see our Tristan battle as much as you do. Let's just hope he wasn't in danger from the attack."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," replied Bill. "Even if Hillary isn't a trainer yet, she always finds ways to help him out of it."

Presently, a man in a gray suit approached Sarah and Bill. Little did they know that it was really Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, in disguise..

"Ah, the two parents of the young Tristan," smiled the disguised Giovanni. "It's nice to see the two of you again. By the way, I never did introduce myself. My name is Grover."

Sarah was amazed. "I remember you," she said. "You're the one who cleared our little Tristan's memory of that awful Team Rocket a few years back."

"We appreciate it very much," added Bill.

"Yes, but I'm afraid I have bad news," replied the disguised Giovanni sadly. "Apparently, Tristan has encountered Team Rocket on his travels as a trainer. So I'm afraid he will never forget the name ever again."

"But what about that horrible experience?" asked Sarah nervously.

"Not to worry," replied the disguised Giovanni. "He still doesn't know about it. At least that's what I know so far."

They came to a dilapidated building just as Giovanni's radio rang.

"Please excuse me for just a moment, won't you?" said the disguised Giovanni politely. "I'm afraid that certain friends of mine just can't seem to spend one moment without me."

"Sure," replied Sarah and Bill together. They were a bit surprised to see a helicopter flying above them, but didn't take much notice after that.

Giovanni quickly slipped into the dilapidated building and answered his radio. "What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"Two people have been spotted down below us," replied a Rocket Grunt on the radio. "Should we get them?"

Giovanni smiled and said, "Do it." The he emerged from the building in his Grover persona and returned to Sarah and Bill. "Sorry about that. That was one of my siblings. He always wants to know how I've been doing."

"What have you been doing all this time?" asked Bill curiously.

"Just a couple of months ago, I battled your son, Tristan, in the Viridian Gym. I almost had him beaten, but his Ivysaur had evolved into Venusaur. It had learned SolarBeam in the process, and it took out my last Pokémon. He earned his eighth and final badge as a result."

"That's really great news," smiled Sarah. "That must have made him happy."

"I know it did," replied the disguised Giovanni. "His Pokémon have really gotten stronger. And he will continue to grow strong with his Pokémon."

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis'))_

Presently, the sound of the helicopter that Sarah and Bill saw a few minutes prior got louder and louder as it landed on the ground next to them.

Giovanni pretended to warn Sarah and Bill. "Guys, look behind you!"

Sarah and Bill turned around and saw an army of ten Team Rocket Grunts emerge from the helicopter and quickly surround them.

"You two are coming with us!" declared one of the Grunts.

"That's never going to happen!" shouted Bill as he threw his Pokéball. "Go, Charlie!"

"Victoria, I need you!" added Sarah as she threw her Pokéball.

The Pokéballs opened, and Charlie, Bill's Charizard, and Victoria, Sarah's Venusaur, emerged from the white lights that shot out.

"Charlie, use Flamethrower!" commanded Bill.

Charlie shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth at the Team Rocket Grunts.

But the Rocket Grunts retaliated by sending out an army of Gyarados. "Use Hydro Pump!" they all yelled.

All ten Gyarados shot powerful blasts of water at Charlie's Flamethrower.

Poor Charlie was no match for the blasts and got hit with such velocity that it fell onto Bill.

"Bill! Charlie!" cried Sarah. ""Hurry, Victoria, get rid of those thugs with SolarBeam!"

Victoria's flower began to glow as it began to collect sunlight.

"Hyper Beam now!" commanded the Rocket Grunts.

All ten Gyarados fired powerful yellow-orange beams at Victoria, who was still charging up for a SolarBeam attack.

Of course, all ten Hyper Beam attacks scored direct hits on Victoria, causing it to faint instantly.

"Victoria!" cried Sarah. She quickly turned to the disguised Giovanni. "Grover, we have to go. Those guys have us outnumbered."

But Giovanni just stood there.

"Grover, let's go!" said Sarah, her voice sounding more and more impatient. "We have an injured Charizard on a possibly injured Bill here. Now let's get out of here!"

Giovanni still stood there, doing nothing. Finally, he said, "I don't think Grover can hear you. Because he's really..." He took off his disguise and revealed his true identity, much to Sarah's shock.

"You're...not Grover!" she gasped.

Bill was able to muster up enough strength to get out from under his Charizard, Charlie just in time to see what's happening.

"Pardon me for not telling you the whole truth, but please allow me to introduce myself," said Giovanni as he stood proudly before Sarah and Bill. "My name is Giovanni. I'm the leader of Team Rocket."

Sarah and Bill were outraged. They had no idea that Giovanni would deceive them in such a way.

"So you were the one who initiated the attack in Pallet Town a few years ago," fumed Bill. "Your men attacked and kidnapped Tristan just for the fun of it!"

"Does this mean that you lied to all of us all along?" asked Sarah suspiciously.

Giovanni snickered. "Guilty as charged."

Bill was very angry. "You will pay for what you did. Come on, Charlie, stop him with Flamethrower!"

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly))_

Charlie managed to get up and shoot a powerful stream of fire at Giovanni, but one of the Gyarados took the hit instead. Sure enough, Gyarados didn't take much damage from Charlie's Flamethrower.

One of the Rocket Grunts ran next to his Gyarados and commanded, "Hyper Beam."

Gyarados fired up another yellow-orange beam at Charlie and scored a direct hit.

The attack was too much for Charlie to take, and it fainted.

"Charlie get up! Get up now!" yelled Bill. "We can't lose to a criminal like him!"

"It's over," smiled Giovanni. "Both your Venusaur and Charizard have been defeated, and it seems to me that they were far too weak to defeat all of us. So now, these two belong to me."

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998 (as heard in "Volcanic Panic"))_

Sarah and Bill were in shock.

"Explain why they belong to you!" demanded Sarah.

"Team Rocket's mission is to collect rare and powerful Pokémon, and use their power to take over the world," explained Giovanni. "I know you didn't have any powerful Pokémon with you when my men attacked you and your family. I ordered these Grunts to kidnap Tristan. I stayed out of sight during the attack so that I could gain your trust. And sure enough, you swallowed it all: hook, line, and sinker."

Sarah and Bill gasped in shock.

"Next, I had you start your journey so that your kids could be well cared for by their grandparents," continued Giovanni. "And during your journeys, you've managed to raise two powerhouses. But even they weren't strong enough to defeat Gyarados. Ten on two may seem unfair, but when it comes down to it, we all have different definitions of fair. So now, it's time to take you and your Pokémon to Team Rocket Headquarters."

"You're insane!" gasped Sarah.

"We won't go!" yelled Bill.

"Then I guess that means you don't care what happens to your Pokémon, do you?" replied Giovanni.

With a snap of his fingers, two Rocket Grunts each sent out an Electrode.

"Thunder!" the Grunts ordered.

Both Electrode shot pulverizing blasts of electricity at the defenseless Pokémon.

"Victoria!" cried Sarah.

"Charlie!" cried Bill.

"If you want your Pokémon to be safe, then surrender and come with us," said Giovanni. "Because if you don't, your Pokémon will pay the ultimate price."

Sarah and Bill watched helplessly as Victoria and Charlie kept getting zapped by the double Thunder attacks the Electrode dished out.

At last, Sarah couldn't take seeing her Pokémon get hurt anymore, and she spoke. "All right, we'll go with you, Giovanni."

Reluctantly, Bill agreed with her.

"A wise choice," smiled Giovanni.

At that instant, both Electrode stopped their attacks.

Sarah and Bill recalled their Pokémon and were forced into Giovanni's helicopter.

"All right, let's go," ordered Giovanni.

He and all the Rocket Grunts got into the helicopter, and then it took off into the sky directly toward Team Rocket Headquarters.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center, everyone was continuing to watch the story unfold on television when suddenly, a female reporter appeared.

"We're coming to you live from a remote area of the Kanto region where just moments ago, a big operation had taken place," said the reporter. "It was there that two people battled valiantly against an army of ten Gyarados, but lost the battle and their freedom. Here is a look at those two people who were just taken captive."

The screen changed to images of Sarah and Bill being forced into a Team Rocket helicopter, much to Tristan and Hillary's horror.

"That's Mom and Dad!" they cried.

Everyone was shocked at the revelation, including Veronica and Eric.

 _Oh, no. Not Sarah,_ thought Veronica.

"I have to do something!" said Tristan.

"But what can you do about it, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "You can't defeat an army of ten Gyarados, let alone rescue our parents all by yourself!"

"No, but I have my Pokémon," replied Tristan. He turned to Veronica, Eric, and Nurse Joy. "All right, guys. I'm going to need all of you to stay here while I go rescue Mom and Dad."

"But I want to go, too!" protested Hillary.

"No, it's too dangerous," insisted Tristan. "You don't have any Pokémon to help out with this rescue mission. I must insist that you stay here this time."

"Hmph!" grumbled Hillary. She didn't like to be reminded of that fact. "It's not fair! I want to be a Trainer, too!"

Veronica knelt down and put her hands on Hillary's shoulders. "Don't worry about it, dear," she said. "Tristan will come through one way or another. And I'm confident that your day will come sooner than you think." She then turned to Tristan. "Tristan, please promise that you'll be careful."

Tristan promised.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part)_

In a little while, he and Pikachu were sitting on his Charizard, waiting to take off with everyone else waving goodbye.

"Are you sure you're up to this, Tristan?" asked Hillary nervously.

"I must go," replied Tristan. "For all I know, Mom and Dad may be in great danger. I'll go to Team Rocket Headquarters and rescue them and Blue, too."

"Remember that we're all rooting for you," said Eric. "You can do it."

"Your mom and dad are counting on you," added Veronica. "You have the courage to pull through. We love you no matter what happens. Now go get 'em."

Tristan nodded.

Seconds later, Charizard flapped its wings as it, Tristan, and Pikachu took off into the sky directly toward Team Rocket Headquarters.

When they disappeared into the distance, Veronica whispered, "Good luck, Tristan."

Hillary, on the other hand, had her doubts, and knew she had to help Tristan somehow, but couldn't figure out what to do.

* * *

 _With the future of the Pokémon League Competition unclear, Tristan and Pikachu have begun their rescue mission to save his parents and Blue from Team Rocket's evil grip. Will they succeed in their quest? This battle is only just getting started, so stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	60. Chapter 60

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! It's been awhile, but here is the 60th chapter of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. Feel free to read, review, and enjoy, even though this chapter is a tad shorter than most of the chapters here.**

 **TEASER: On their way to Team Rocket Headquarters, Tristan and Pikachu make a brief stop in Pallet Town to learn about the events of his past while Hillary feels helpless and restless while waiting for their return. How can she prove herself this time?**

 **Chapter 60: HILLARY'S BOLD MOVE**

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis)_

 _Last time, as Tristan and Hillary recovered at the Pokémon Center, their parents were on a journey of their own as they traveled in a remote area of the Kanto Region. They soon came face to face with the disguised Giovanni, who seemed friendly at first. But when an army of Team Rocket Grunts attacked them, Giovanni revealed his true identity, and told them that he was the mastermind of the attack in Pallet Town and at their house in the past._

 _Sarah and Bill battled valiantly against the Team Rocket soldiers, but were outnumbered by the Rocket soldiers' army of ten Gyarados_

 _Shortly thereafter, Tristan and Hillary saw that their parents had been taken captive live on television._

 _Seeing the potential danger, but not knowing how much there was, Tristan had Hillary and everyone else stay behind at the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center while he and Pikachu took off with Charizard into the sky directly toward Team Rocket Headquarters._

 _Now, with the future of the Pokémon League hanging in the balance, what will be the fate of everyone involved?_

* * *

Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard continued to fly high in the sky, searching for Team Rocket Headquarters.

Presently, Tristan saw Pallet Town in the distance, and instructed his Charizard to land there.

Charizard descended and landed neatly on its feet, allowing Tristan and Pikachu to dismount.

Tristan took a moment to check his surroundings. _It seems peaceful enough,_ he thought. _But something doesn't feel quite right._

Suddenly, he saw a big brown patch of earth and ran over to it. He recognized it immediately. "This is it," he said aloud.

Pikachu and Charizard were confused.

"This is the exact same spot where my parents' house used to stand," he explained. "But I don't know what happened to it."

He began to tell what he knew back in the past. "After Mom and Dad started their Pokémon journey and Hillary and I moved to New Bark Town, the house that was standing here must have been torn down. But why did it happen?" He still didn't remember all the details of being kidnapped all those years ago.

Just then, Pikachu spotted something in the distance and immediately alerted Tristan.

"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Tristan.

Pikachu pointed to a booth with a video phone in it.

"A phone!" said Tristan. "I'd better call the others and tell them what's going on."

* * *

In no time at all, Tristan relayed the information to his grandmother, Veronica.

"So your old house is no more, huh?" she said. She then felt very sad. "I know you've been thinking about what I told you about your being kidnapped not too long ago, but I should probably tell you why the house is no longer there."

Tristan listened as Veronica told part two of the story she told a couple months prior.

"After your Mom and Dad started their Pokémon journey, they wanted the house to be demolished so that you and the others would never be reminded of that terrible incident ever again," explained Veronica.

"You mean the time I got kidnapped?" wondered Tristan.

Veronica silently nodded. "Your parents, plus your grandfather and I all talked on the phone the day after you came to live with us. And we all agreed that that very house you used to live in was no longer welcoming because of that incident. So we all called a demolition team to have the house torn down, while salvaging all the valuables."

Tristan understood what his grandmother told him. He would want any trace of evil removed from any particular place if it reminded him too much of anything terrifying that happened there.

"Hillary's been worried about you ever since you left," added Veronica. "Are you sure you're up to the task?"

"I have no choice, Grandma," answered Tristan. "So, yes. I have to help Mom and Dad, plus Blue and his Pokémon. Please tell Hillary not to worry about me. I'll be back with everyone."

"That's the attitude," smiled Veronica. "I'll tell Hillary that you'll be okay. Good luck."

"Thanks, Grandma," replied Tristan. "I love you."

The transmission ended.

"I'd better let Hillary know about this, too," said Tristan as he took out Pidgeot's Pokéball and threw it. "Pidgeot, go!"

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"I need you to fly over to the Indigo Plateau and find Hillary. Tell her that I'm okay, and help her in any way possible.

Pidgeot complied and flew off.

Presently, two helicopters flew high overhead.

Tristan couldn't exactly make out what they were, but maybe they could give him a clue. _Maybe those helicopters are going to the same place we need to be,_ he thought. He turned to Charizard and Pikachu. "Okay, guys, let's go follow those helicopters."

Tristan and Pikachu quickly got on Charizard's back and together, they all took off into the air and followed the helicopters.

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside the Pokémon Center at the Indigo Plateau, Hillary was starting to get more and more anxious, and she was in a very bad mood. "Why can't I be on an adventure with Pokémon, too?" she fumed. "It's not fair that Tristan wants to play the hero and I have to stay here! Phooey! Well, if I had a Pokémon, I'd help him in a heartbeat!"

Veronica appeared next to Hillary. "There you are, Hillary."

"Oh, hi, Grandma," sighed Hillary.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" asked Veronica.

"It's just that..." Hillary paused for a few seconds. "...I want to be a Trainer, too. I know I've been helping Tristan on his journey, but I want to actually train Pokémon just like he does."

Veronica knelt down to Hillary's eye level. "I know how you feel, dear," she said. "However, Pokémon Trainers don't start out with their first Pokémon until after their tenth birthday, and I'm afraid you're not quite at that age yet."

"I don't care!" shouted Hillary, making Veronica nearly fall backward in surprise. "There's just something that's telling me that Tristan could be putting himself in real danger this time...danger that he can't possibly get out of! I don't care what anybody says about being a trainer at ten years of age. I have to help him somehow!" And she started to dart off.

"Wait, Hillary, come back!" shouted Veronica.

But it was no use. Hillary was halfway gone. She didn't stop to when suddenly, she bumped into a man and fell backward. "Ow, my head!" she moaned.

"Here's some advice, Hillary," said the man. "Doduo says to look behind and ahead, and then, you'll have nothing to dread."

"Professor Oak?" gasped Hillary in surprise. She clearly wasn't expecting Professor Oak to make an appearance.

Veronica quickly came over to Hillary. "Hillary, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," replied Hillary.

"I heard about last night's incident," explained Professor Oak. "Tristan and Hillary first told me about Blue being a member of Team Rocket, and he was solely responsible for taking all the Pokéballs."

"But most recently, he was captured by those said people because he wanted to steal them for himself," added Hillary.

"What did you say?!" gasped Professor Oak. He was clearly surprised by this turn of events.

Hillary nodded. "Team Rocket has him and his Pokémon hostage, and Tristan's on his way to free them at Team Rocket Headquarters right now."

Professor Oak became concerned. "This could be a problem, for Tristan doesn't always know the best method for dealing with enemies in their home field."

"Do you think he's really in that kind of danger?" asked Veronica nervously.

"It's hard to say for sure, for even though Tristan's raised some powerful Pokémon, the chances for success are far from certain," answered Professor Oak.

"That's why I have to help him in any way I can," said Hillary. She had never felt so determined in all her life.

Professor Oak and Veronica looked at each other.

"What do you think, Professor Oak?" whispered Veronica.

"I think she's got the courage," answered Professor Oak. He turned to Hillary. "Hillary, your grandmother and I have decided to give you a test."

"A test?!" exclaimed Hillary. "But I didn't study for one!"

"Now, take it easy, Hillary," said Professor Oak. "This is a different kind of test. I'm going to loan you a Pokémon to help with Tristan's rescue mission. If you and this Pokémon can work together and succeed in your task, I'll award you with a very special privilege."

Hillary gave the matter a lot of thought. Finally, she said, "It's a deal, Professor Oak."

Professor Oak took out a Pokéball and gave it to Hillary. "This Pokémon should come in very handy for your mission," he explained. "Normally, I give this Pokémon to new trainers, but since this is an emergency situation already in progress, I'm willing to make an exception."

"We'll work together, so don't worry, Professor," said Hillary as she put the Pokéball away in her backpack.

Presently, everyone heard squawking overhead as a flying figure came straight toward them, making them all nervous.

"Something's headed this way," said Professor Oak.

"And at a fast pace, too," added Veronica.

The figured squawked and revealed itself.

"It's Tristan's Pidgeot!" cried Hillary excitedly. "So he was worried about me."

"Tristan was thinking ahead after all," added Professor Oak.

Pidgeot landed neatly on the ground in front of Hillary.

"Pidgeot, I'm going to need your help," said Hillary. "I've been asked to help Tristan on his rescue mission. "Will you help me?"

Pidgeot nodded and insisted she climb on its back.

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part)_

"Well, Hillary, your test begins now," said Professor Oak. "Best of luck on your mission."

"I promise I'll succeed," replied Hillary.

"And remember, Hillary," added Veronica, "we're so proud of you and Tristan no matter what happens to you."

"I'll do my best, Grandma," said Hillary. "Let's go, Pidgeot!"

Pidgeot gave a determined squawk as it and Hillary took off into the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard had followed the helicopters to a big building with some balconies and struts.

"There it is, guys," said Tristan. "Team Rocket Headquarters."

Pikachu and Charizard nodded affirmatively.

"Well, there's no turning back now," said Tristan. "So let's do this."

And they followed the helicopters over the fenced area.

* * *

 _And so, as Tristan and Pikachu make it to Team Rocket Headquarters, Hillary, out of concern for her brother, has been given a test to help him by Professor Oak. What Pokémon will she be working with? What is this special privilege, and will she pass Professor Oak's test? And will Tristan be able to succeed in rescuing his parents, and his nemesis, Blue? This adventure is only just beginning, so stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	61. Chapter 61

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 61 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. As always, please feel free to read and review.**

 **TEASER: Tristan and Pikachu have finally made it to Team Rocket Headquarters and come face to face with Giovanni. Hillary makes friends with the Pokémon Professor Oak gave her. Will she win the Pokémon's trust in time to help Tristan and Pikachu?**

 **Chapter 61: THE FINAL CONFLICT, PART 1**

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight! (first part)_

 _Last time, Tristan got a blast from the past in Pallet Town, as he continued his difficult journey to Team Rocket Headquarters, in order to rescue his mother and father as well as his rival, Blue. Meanwhile, Hillary got more and more frustrated at the thought of not being able to help his brother because she wasn't a trainer. But Professor Oak, seeing Hillary so miserable, decided to give her a test. The objective: Work with the Pokémon to help Tristan and Pikachu in their rescue mission. Who will Hillary be working with? And will Tristan and Pikachu be successful in saving his mother and father? And Blue?_

* * *

Giovanni was sitting in his office, eagerly awaiting any news.

Presently, one Rocket Grunt entered. "Giovanni, sir," he said. "The two people we just kidnapped are now securely locked up in the dungeon."

"Excellent," replied Giovanni. "This will make for the perfect bait. Keep standing by for a certain young trainer. I'm expecting him soon."

"Yes, sir," said the Grunt.

Giovanni smirked. "I'll be waiting patiently for him."

But Giovanni didn't have to wait long, for just then, a second Rocket Grunt burst into the room."Giovanni, a Charizard has been spotted flying into headquarters at full speed!" he cried.

"Hm? A Charizard?" asked Giovanni. He took out his binoculars and saw Charizard with Tristan and Pikachu flying on its back at a breakneck clip. "Hmm, I wasn't expecting to see Tristan this soon."

 _(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock")_

Sure enough, Charizard was flying very fast directly toward the entrance of Team Rocket Headquarters. Tristan and Pikachu were filled with determination.

 _Hang in there, you guys,_ thought Tristan. _I'll come and rescue you._

The guards who stood by saw them coming and sent out a flock of Golbat to attack them.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Charizard, Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Pikachu and Charizard aimed their Thunderbolt and Flamethrower attacks respectively at the Golbat, scoring direct hits and easily knocking them out.

"Let's go, Charizard!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard flew over the defeated Grunts, who had to cover their faces from the strong gusts of wind from Charizard's flying. It then landed on the ground right next to the entrance.

Tristan and Pikachu immediately dismounted and ran inside with Charizard not far behind.

* * *

Meanwhile, Hillary and Pidgeot were flying toward the same place Tristan was.

"I wonder what Pokémon I'll be working with," said Hillary to herself. "Maybe a Water-type, or a Grass-type, maybe even a Fire-type. I just hope that whatever it is, it'll help us out." Presently, Hillary heard her stomach growl. "I'm getting hungry," she moaned. "I wish I ate before I left." Presently, she saw a clearing below. Then she remembered something else. "I almost forgot! Grandma and Professor Oak gave me some food before I left! Hey, Pidgeot, wanna stop for a quick bite and have lunch?"

Pidgeot nodded and began to descend toward the ground below. When it landed neatly on its feet, Hillary dismounted and checked out the contents in her backpack. She noticed a can of Pokémon food and some sandwiches.

"Grandma certainly knew what she was doing," said Hillary to herself as she thought back to just before she left to help Tristan.

* * *

"I packed some sandwiches for you and Tristan," said Veronica. "He's probably going to want them."

"And here's some Pokémon food for Pidgeot and the Pokémon you'll be working with," added Professor Oak.

"Thanks a lot, you guys," replied Hillary.

* * *

"Now I'll see what Pokémon I'll be working with," said Hillary as she took out the Pokéball that Professor Oak gave her. She remembered that she had to press the button to make it grow and make it easier to throw. "Go, Pokéball!" she shouted and threw it in the air.

A white light shot out, and a tiny blue turtle Pokémon materialized from it.

Hillary was amazed. "Wow, it's a Squirtle!" she said excitedly.

Squirtle didn't seem at all excited about being in new surroundings. As a matter of fact, it became nervous, let alone shy of Hillary. So it quickly hid behind a big rock.

"Aw, come on, Squirtle," said Hillary. "I'm really very friendly. Please come out."

But Squirtle just stayed behind the rock.

 _I sure wish Tristan was here right now,_ thought Hillary. _"He'd know what to do._ "I know!" she said aloud. "I'll use the Pokémon food as bait to lure it out! Pidgeot, do you think you could move back for me? I don't want anything big to accidentally scare Squirtle."

 _(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)_

Pidgeot quietly replied and moved back slowly as Hillary put some pieces of Pokémon food on the ground in a straight line.

Squirtle became curious and came out of its hiding place. It began to eat the Pokémon food as it moved closer to Hillary. It was delighted with the taste.

"It's working," whispered Hillary. "Squirtle's getting closer."

Squirtle continued to eat the Pokémon food Hillary laid out.

Hillary got down on all fours and waited for Squirtle to approach.

When Squirtle got close enough to Hillary, it looked up and looked her in the eye. It slowly backed up.

"Hi, Squirtle," said Hillary as she introduced herself. "My name's Hillary. I want to be your friend. I have some yummy Pokémon food for you." She put some of the Pokémon food in her open hand.

Squirtle curiously examined the Pokémon food Hillary had. Then, it slowly took a piece of it and ate it. It had the same taste as the food that she laid out.

"Is that good, Squirtle?" asked Hillary.

Squirtle smiled. Hillary seemed to be friendly enough to it.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" asked Hillary.

Squirtle nodded. It was excited to eat lunch with someone new.

"But before we start eating, I want to introduce you to someone," said Hillary.

Squirtle seemed to be interested.

"Okay, Pidgeot, you can come here now," said Hillary.

Pidgeot gently flew over to where Hillary was standing, but as gentle as it flew, it still scared Squirtle, who quickly hid behind her. It wasn't used to seeing anything so big.

"Don't be scared, Squirtle," said Hillary. "Pidgeot's a friend of mine." She stroked Pidgeot on the head.

Squirtle cautiously peeked out. Sure enough, Pidgeot seemed very content and friendly.

"Let's all have some lunch, and then we'll talk about what we should do next," suggested Hillary.

Pidgeot and Squirtle agreed to the idea.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Team Rocket Headquarters, Tristan, Pikachu, and Charizard were cautiously walking inside.

"Keep your eyes and ears open, guys," whispered Tristan to the Pokémon. "Blue, Mom, and Dad have to be here somewhere. And don't forget about Team Rocket."

Pikachu and Charizard nodded as they followed along.

Little did they know that Giovanni was watching them on one of the security cameras in his office.

"So, Tristan made it inside," smirked Giovanni. "Well, this time, he's in a battle he can't win. I think it's time I deal with him personally." And he left his office to find him.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu found an elevator leading down to the deepest basement of Team Rocket Headquarters. He noticed that Charizard couldn't fit in the elevator.

"Okay, Charizard, you'd better rest up for a bit," said Tristan as he returned Charizard to its Pokéball. He then pressed the down button next to the elevator, which promptly opened. He and Pikachu stepped inside, and the door closed.

The elevator car began to go down through the basement floors, faster and faster it went. But Tristan and Pikachu didn't have time to be scared, for they were on a rescue mission.

In no time, the elevator stopped at the bottom floor, and the doors opened.

What Tristan and Pikachu saw next shocked them. It was very dark with nothing but torches to guide them. But those weren't just any torches, they were torches that contained Moltres' flame.

"These torches are part of the central torch from the Indigo Stadium!" gasped Tristan. "Giovanni and Team Rocket must have taken them! Well, let's go get our friends and the flame." And he and Pikachu cautiously continued down the dark halls of the deepest basement at Team Rocket Headquarters.

A moment later, they came across a door at the end of the hall. A sign was posted on the door. It read, " _RESTRICTED AREA! KEEP OUT! THIS MEANS YOU! PERSONAL PROPERTY OF GIOVANNI!"_

"Personal property?" asked Tristan. "Well, let's see what he's hiding!" And he kicked the door open.

 _(Music Cue: You Have to Earn Respect)_

Tristan and Pikachu were confused.

 _That's weird,_ thought Tristan. _This seems to be too easy._ _I was able to kick the door open with no problem. Giovanni must want me to come down here and try to rescue my parents and Blue. They have to be in this room somewhere. For some reason, he's toying with me. What's he really after? And why?_

But when Tristan and Pikachu entered the room, they were met with a dreadful sight.

There were cages everywhere: one on top of the other.

"What is this?!" gasped Tristan.

What he saw next shocked him even more.

There was a Sandslash, an Alakazam, an Exeggutor, a Cloyster, a Ninetales, and a Jolteon. And they were all in terrible shape.

"Those are Blue's Pokémon!" said Tristan.

Next, he saw a Venusaur and a Charizard in two separate big cages. They were in just as bad of shape as the other six Pokémon.

"This is wrong. This is terrible!" said Tristan.

"Tristan?" said a voice. "Is that you?"

"Blue!" shouted Tristan as he and Pikachu rushed over to a big cage.

Inside, he saw not only Blue, but his parents, Sarah and Bill, as well.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"How did you find us?" shivered Sarah.

"It doesn't matter," replied Tristan. "Pikachu and I need to get you out of here."

"Tristan, don't worry about us," said Bill.

"I won't leave you guys here," protested Tristan.

"Just worry about yourself and get out of here now," insisted Bill. "We'll be fine."

"No, I made a promise to save you all and your Pokémon and I intend to keep it," said Tristan.

But just then, another voice spoke up. "Now, isn't this a lovely sight?"

Tristan and Pikachu turned around and saw that they had come face to face with their greatest adversary.

"Giovanni," said Tristan disdainfully.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the clearing miles away, Hillary, Squirtle, and Pidgeot had just finished eating their lunch.

"That was great!" said Hillary. She cleaned up her mess and put the remaining sandwich back in her backpack to save for Tristan later. "So, Squirtle, how did you enjoy eating together?"

Squirtle replied happily.

"Well, guys, we'll need to help Tristan. He's probably at Team Rocket Headquarters right now," said Hillary. "Hey, Squirtle, do you think you can help me with this? Tristan is my brother, and he's very important to me. I think he could use your help."

Squirtle was confused. It wasn't sure what it could do, since it was just a baby.

"You may be small, but you can make a big difference," explained Hillary. "I don't know exactly how yet, but I just know you'll come through somehow."

Squirtle thought about it for a moment. It thought about how it made friends with Hillary thanks to the Pokémon food, even though it wasn't used to her yet. But it eventually agreed to help Hillary and Pidgeot.

"Thank you, Squirtle," said Hillary. "I know you can do it."

Squirtle gave a thumbs-up to Hillary as she returned it to its Pokéball.

Then Pidgeot readied itself as Hillary climbed on its back. "Let's go help Tristan, Pidgeot," said Hillary. "Next stop, Team Rocket Headquarters."

Pidgeot squawked, and together it and Hillary took off into the sky.

* * *

"Well, Tristan, it appears that you've made it to my secret room in the deepest basement," said Giovanni. "And you got past all my guards with no trouble. I'm impressed."

"Release my friends and family, and give back the Moltres flame, Giovanni!" demanded Tristan. "They have nothing to do with this!"

"Pika, Pika!" added Pikachu.

"That's where you're wrong," smirked Giovanni. "Your mommy and daddy, as well as your friend, Blue, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And now, they belong to me."

"You've captured them on purpose, Giovanni!" fumed Tristan. "You must have some reason why you wanted to kidnap them as well as their Pokémon!" Then he gasped. "Unless...this has something to do with me, also!"

Giovanni smiled wickedly. "It sounds like you've been doing your homework. Allow me to explain why these events took place as well as why Team Rocket attacked your family and kidnapped you in Pallet Town."

"Go on, I'm listening," groaned Tristan. He clearly wasn't interested in any of Giovanni's ideal stories.

 _(Music Cue: Team Rocket Boss Meeting (as hear in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne"))_

"You may not remember this, but a few years ago, Team Rocket participated in this huge Pokéball heist in Pallet Town," explained Giovanni. Their last destination was your house. They attacked your mommy and daddy using Beedrill's Twineedle attack, hoping that they had Pokémon to steal. Here's the interesting part about that. They didn't have any Pokémon to steal, but while your parents were kept occupied, two Grunts kidnapped you and took you inside the back of a big truck."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Tristan suspiciously.

"Because I thought you should know about it," replied Giovanni calmly. "Unfortunately, the big thunderstorm that drenched Pallet Town drenched their plans as well. Their truck also had pedals that were out of order, and so they crashed their truck into big gas tanks at their rendezvous point, thus starting a fire. What's more unfortunate is that the two good-for-nothing Officer Jennys came and rescued you before the abandoned gas station was destroyed.

"The two Rocket Grunts who kidnapped you not only got burns, but are now also stuck serving a whole mess of years in jail for attempted kidnapping," continued Giovanni. "Knowing full well that the situation would be dire news for everyone involved, I decided to disguise myself as a man named Grover. I used the mysterious Pokémon's Psychic powers to erase all trace of that incident out of your memory. Of course, it decided to betray me after I told it that Pokémon were created by humans to serve humans."

"How could you do such a thing to an innocent Pokémon?" gasped Tristan in shock. "It trusted and respected you!"

"That's another story," replied Giovanni as he brushed it off. "Anyway, I knew that your parents didn't have Pokémon, so I told them to start a journey of their own. I decided to bide my time until they had Pokémon that were strong enough for Team Rocket to steal, but then, you came into the picture," said Giovanni. "So to prepare for my greatest triumph, I had decided to run the Viridian Gym for as long as possible; however, after my Gym battle with you, word got out that I had knocked Trainers out cold using that very Pokémon.

"Afterwards, I went to the Pokémon League headquarters and I was forced to resign and remain the leader of Team Rocket full-time, but not before taking all the Pokémon from all the members, who turned out to be all the members of the Elite Four. Nurse Joy's Chansey and Officer Jenny's Growlithe tried to assist, but they were far too weak."

"You stole all the Pokémon from the Elite Four, too?!" exclaimed Tristan. "Well, where are theY?"

"Relax, little boy, they're right there, too," answered Giovanni as he pointed to several more cages. Sure enough, a Slowbro, a Cloyster, and a Jynx were in one corner, a Hitmonchan and an Onix in the second, a Gengar and a Golbat in a third, and a Dragonite in the fourth. They were in such bad shape that they could barely move.

"But what does this have to do with me?" asked Tristan suspiciously. Then he realized what was going on. "You were just trying to lure me out so you could take my Pokémon, too! And you must have been the one who was responsible for carrying out the Pokéball heist in Pallet Town four years ago, weren't you?!"

This made everyone except Giovanni gasp in shock

"Guilty as charged," smiled Giovanni wickedly. "But that's the least of everyone's concerns, for I have something else I think you want." And he showed his latest possession, which just happened to be Moltres' flame from Indigo Stadium, in his giant lantern.

 _(Music Cue: The Mighty Mewtwo)_

"Hey! That's another part of the flame from the central torch for the Pokémon League Competition!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Except that it now belongs to me," said Giovanni. "After, I took Blue and his Pokémon captive and went after your parents, some of my soldiers snuck undercover to steal the flame from the Indigo Plateau. It appears that without it, the competition can't continue." He then put the lantern away in his jacket. "So, I'm willing to make you a deal. Hand over all your Pokémon, including your Pikachu, and I'll consider giving you the flame back. Or keep them, and the imprisoned Pokémon will pay the price." He took out a small remote control and pressed a button.

At that instant, electricity surged through the Pokémon's cages, zapping them on the spot.

Blue, Bill, and Sarah just stood there, horrified that Giovanni would pull something so low.

"Knock it off, Giovanni!" demanded Tristan. "This is between you and me, so leave them alone!"

"Well, then, will you consider handing over all your Pokémon like a good little boy?" asked Giovanni. "Of course, with your Pokémon as powerful as they are, taking over the world will be a simple task. Of course, you're free to keep your Pokémon, but at what cost?"

"You coward!" fumed Tristan.

"Don't worry about the Pokémon! Just save yourself!" cried Sarah.

 _What am I gonna do?_ thought Tristan. _If I hand over my Pokémon to Giovanni, then he'll be free to rule the world using them on anyone he wants with no one to stop him. But if I don't hand them over, then he'll just continue zapping the imprisoned Pokémon until they finally leave this world! There has to be a solution._

"Tick-tock, Tristan. We haven't got all day, let alone all night," said Giovanni. "For in just a few moments, those Pokémon will be no more."

Tristan couldn't bear to see the Pokémon getting any worse than they already were. "All right, Giovanni, you win," grunted Tristan. "You can have them. The Pokémon are all yours. Just don't hurt the others."

"No! You can't give the Pokémon to him!" cried Blue.

"Excellent, Tristan," smirked Giovanni as he released the button on his remote control. "So you do have a heart after all. Who knew that under that tough exterior beats a heart of a wimp? Very well, then." He started to put the remote control back in his pocket and proceeded toward Tristan. "Now it's your turn."

But suddenly, Tristan shouted, "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

Out of nowhere, Pikachu sped toward Giovanni with a white line trailing behind it and rammed directly into him, causing him to yell out in pain and lose his grip on the remote control.

"You blundering idiot!" screamed Giovanni.

"Now's your chance, Tristan!" shouted Blue.

"Quick, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack and destroy that remote control!" ordered Tristan.

"Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" yelled Pikachu as a yellow stream of electricity shot from its body and struck the remote control, obliterating it.

"No!" shouted Giovanni.

Pikachu landed neatly and stood by Tristan, ready to face Giovanni with him.

"It looks like the tables have turned," said Tristan. "Now release my friends and family!"

Giovanni slowly got back up on his feet. He was now very angry. "That was the last mistake you shall ever make, little boy! This I promise you," he growled.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: The Copy Pokémon Awaken! (as heard in "A Tent Situation"))_

Just outside of Team Rocket Headquarters, the sun was starting to set, but storm clouds were fast approaching. This did not go unnoticed by Hillary and Pidgeot, who were in reality still miles away from their destination.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," said Hillary nervously. "At our normal speed, we'll never be able to get to Tristan and Pikachu in time. We'd have to fly at the speed of Mach 2 in order to get to Team Rocket Headquarters. Pidgeot, do you think you can fly faster?"

Pidgeot nodded.

"All right, then, it's time to use your Agility attack!" commanded Hillary.

Pidgeot squawked with determination and flew off like a shot with Hillary hanging on for dear life.

"Whoooaaaa!" bellowed Hillary. "I knew that Pidgeot could fly fast, but not _this_ fast!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Chamber of Legends in another dimension, Mewtwo saw the storm clouds gathering over Team Rocket Headquarters on one of the screens. _This looks like trouble. I need everyone here immediately._

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres flew and landed next to Mewtwo and wondered what was wrong.

 _We have to go help Tristan and Hillary,_ explained Mewtwo. _We must leave for Team Rocket Headquarters at once. Our friends could be in great danger._

Articun, Zapdos, and Moltres agreed, and together with Mewtwo, they flew out of the Chamber and the dimension, creating a hole in the sky in the real world. Then, they set off directly for Team Rocket Headquarters where more storm clouds were gathering. Soon they began to spread out all over the entire Kanto region.

* * *

 _And so, with the final confrontation against Giovanni set to begin at any moment, Hillary and Pidgeot are flying toward Team Rocket Headquarters as fast as they can go, while at the same time, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo are all headed to Team Rocket Headquarters to join forces with Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. What will be the outcome of this conflict? And will Tristan and Pikachu be able to receive the assistance of friends and family alike to save friends and family alike? Stay tuned!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	62. Chapter 62

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 62 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their harrowing journey in Kanto. I hope you enjoy.**

 **TEASER: Trouble is brewing, and so is a storm, but a timely arrival by the Legendary Pokémon gets her out of danger! Plus, she meets the strongest Trainers in Kanto: the Elite Four! Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu are about to face Giovanni and his Persian, but when lightning strikes the heart of Team Rocket Headquarters, there may be more to lose than the flame of Moltres!**

 **Chapter 62: THE FINAL CONFLICT, PART 2**

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Hello Pummelo"))_

 _In our last episode, Tristan and Pikachu managed to make it inside Team Rocket Headquarters and confronted Giovanni face to face. They soon discovered that he was the one responsible for the attack on Pallet Town four years ago. And if that wasn't bad enough, they saw that he stole the flame from the central torch from the Pokémon League Competition. Without it, the competition would be unable to continue. And to make matters even worse, he had stolen all the Pokémon from the Elite Four, who were secretly members of the Pokémon League Inspection Agency. Giovanni attempted to make a shocking deal with Tristan: The terms were that he would let all of Tristan's friends, family, and their Pokémon go free if he handed his Pokémon to him. And if he didn't, the imprisoned Pokémon would receive a huge blast of electricity. Seeing no other option, Tristan, reluctantly surrendered, but thinking fast, he had Pikachu launch a Quick Attack directly on Giovanni, causing him to lose the remote control. Taking this chance, Pikachu destroyed it with a Thunderbolt._

 _Meanwhile, Hillary and Pidgeot were making headway toward Team Rocket Headquarters while befriending a shy Squirtle that Professor Oak had assigned to her as a test to see if they could work well together._

 _At the same time, the Legendary Pokémon in the Chamber of Legends noticed the trouble brewing at Team Rocket Headquarters, and decided to join forces with Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu._

 _Now, with the final confrontation against Giovanni set to begin, many questions remain unanswered. Will our heroes and the Legendary Pokémon emerge victorious against Giovanni? And will they be able to secure the flame so the Pokémon League Competition can continue? Or will the entire competition be for nothing?_

* * *

"There it is!" bellowed Hillary as she continued to hang on tight to Pidgeot.

They were flying at Mach 2 speed thanks to its Agility, and had made it to Team Rocket Headquarters in no time at all.

"You can slow it down now, Pidgeot!" shouted Hillary over the onrushing gust of wind blowing in her face.

Pidgeot stopped its Agility attack, and soon they were flying just yards away from the building

"I hope I don't lose my lunch after that flight," moaned Hillary. However, she didn't moan for long after noticing the lightning bolts from the clouds along with the rumbles of thunder getting louder and louder. "Whoa! This doesn't look good! I think we'd better land before this storm gets any worse."

But the storm picked up in strength, and soon, lightning bolts were shooting out of the sky toward Hillary and Pidgeot.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu! (as heard in "Mild 'n Woolly"))_

"Dodge 'em, Pidgeot, now!" ordered Hillary.

With speed and precision, Pidgeot managed to avoid every one of the lightning strikes that came their way.

"I think we'd better land before the lightning causes us big trouble," advised Hillary.

Pidgeot was about to agree with her, but suddenly, and without warning, a huge lightning bolt quickly dropped out of the clouds straight at them!

"Look out!" cried Hillary as she and Pidgeot closed their eyes and braced themselves.

But just then, a huge figure flew over them and absorbed the lightning blast.

When Hillary and Pidgeot opened their eyes, they saw that not only did they survive the blast, but Zapdos came to their rescue just in time!

 _(Music Cue: Opening 1997-1998 (M01B))_

"It's Zapdos!" cried Hillary excitedly.

Zapdos roared in confirmation. Soon, it was joined by Articuno, Moltres and Mewtwo.

"Whoa, no way!" exclaimed Hillary. "Articuno, Moltres, and Mewtwo as well! I can't believe my luck!"

 _Are you two all right?_ asked Mewtwo.

"We are now," answered Hillary. "That was a close one!"

 _We saw what's going on here, so we came as quickly as we could,_ explained Mewtwo.

"Wait, so you know about this?" asked Hillary.

Mewtwo nodded. _That lightning blast has given Zapdos a power boost, so it might come in handy later. But t_ _here's no time to lose, so let's go._

And they flew off toward Team Rocket Headquarters.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (first part)_

Meanwhile, Tristan and Pikachu were about to face off against Giovanni for the freedom of his rival, Blue, and his parents, as well as all the Pokémon involved.

"It's a shame you couldn't join Team Rocket, Tristan," said Giovanni. "For now, we have to battle it out. And I was also hoping I could sell that flame without any interference. But sadly, you're not going to let me do that, either."

"When will you learn, Giovanni?" replied Tristan. "Every time you battle me, you end up losing!"

"Not this time," said Giovanni. "Let's go, Persian!" He threw his Pokéball.

Persian emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Let's go, Pikachu," said Tristan.

Pikachu jumped in front of Tristan, ready to defend him against Giovanni's Persian.

"So, we have a cat facing off against a mouse," smiled Giovanni. "I think we all know who's going to win here."

* * *

Meanwhile, as the storm got worse, a helicopter was seen moving toward Team Rocket Headquarters. It contained four people.

A tall thin man with bright scarlet red-spiked hair spoke first. "That's Team Rocket Headquarters," he said. "Something's definitely going on in there."

A woman with hair in two pigtails and ponytail agreed. She also had glasses. "It doesn't look good from the looks of this storm," she said calmly.

Another woman, who had short yellow hair was cross. "If I had my Pokémon, I'd take care of whoever did this in a heartbeat, then give them a spanking with my cane," she said.

"That's why we're going to fight to get our Pokémon back!" said a tall muscular man.

The old lady's frown disappeared, and she was now chuckling. "Oh, Bruno, you and your fighting jokes."

"Well, it's time for us to hustle, guys," advised the man with red hair. "There's no telling who may be in danger."

 _(Music Cue: The Squirtle Squad Appears!)_

Then he looked ahead using his binoculars to see a Pidgeot with four other figures flying along with it. "Whoa, no way!" he gasped.

"Is something the matter, Lance?" asked the woman with glasses.

"You're not going to believe this," replied Lance, "but I see five Pokémon heading in the same direction we are!"

"Did you say 'five' Pokémon?" asked Bruno.

"That's what he said, Bruno," answered the woman with glasses.

"There's more!" said Lance. "I think I see a girl riding on the Pidgeot, and not only that, I think that those four other Pokémon are Legendary Pokémon flying along with them!"

The other three people were shocked at that revelation.

"Legendary Pokémon?" gasped the old woman. "I've never heard of that before, did you, Prima?"

"I certainly didn't, Agatha," answered Prima. "A child flying on a big Pokémon with four Legendary Pokémon as their escorts is nothing to sneeze at."

At that moment, Hillary, who was still flying on Pidgeot, glanced over her shoulder and saw a helicopter flying in her direction.

"Oh, great, what now?" groaned Hillary. "Probably another one of Team Rocket's helicopters. Let's take care of this."

 _Hold on,_ advised Mewtwo as it flew alongside. _I don't think that helicopter wants to cause any trouble to us. And I'm certain that the people inside aren't our enemies, either._

"Then why are they following us?" asked Hillary.

 _I believe that the people inside will be able to help us in this mission of ours,_ Mewtwo answered.

Hillary wasn't sure what to believe. She thought about what Mewtwo had just said, but she went along with it. "All right then," she said at last. "Let's help them." And they continued on their journey until everyone landed at the entrance to Team Rocket Headquarters.

* * *

A short time later, just as Hillary got off of Pidgeot's back and Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo landed next to them, the helicopter landed, and out stepped Lance. He saw Hillary as he exited the helicopter.

"So, you're the one we saw flying on that Pidgeot," said Lance. "You must be a very good trainer."

"Thanks, I think," replied Hillary nervously. "Unfortunately, I'm not a trainer yet. This is actually Tristan's Pidgeot. And I've been given a Pokémon to help with my rescue mission from Professor Oak."

"Well, I'd say that makes you a good trainer already," chuckled Lance. "Your brother must be a really good trainer if he has a Pidgeot like this one. My name's Lance. I'm a member of what is known as the Elite Four. Of course, I'm well-known for being the champion."

"The Elite Four?" gasped Hillary. "For real?"

Lance nodded. "I also investigate crimes and arrest people for improperly using any Pokémon as a Pokémon G-Man.

"Well, then, what does that make us, chopped liver?" fumed Agatha, who felt somewhat offended.

Lance chuckled. "I wouldn't say that." He introduced the other members of the Elite Four to Hillary. "That's Agatha. She specializes in Ghost and Poison Pokémon. This is Prima. She specializes in Ice Pokémon. And last but not least is Bruno. He specializes in Fighting Pokémon."

"It's certainly nice to meet you all," replied Hillary. "My name's Hillary. These are my Legendary Pokémon friends, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo. And you've already met Pidgeot."

"So where is your brother now?" asked Lance.

"He's inside Team Rocket Headquarters trying to rescue Blue as well as our mom and dad," answered Hillary.

"Why would he do that?" asked Lance. "He didn't need to go there."

Hillary told them the story of what happened. "After Blue stole the Pokémon during the Pokémon League competition, Giovanni battled him and took him and his Pokémon for their betrayal. Some time later, he took the flame from the Indigo Stadium. And just recently, we found out that our mom and dad were captured by Giovanni, too. Tristan didn't want me going after him, but for some reason, he was worried about me, so he lent me his Pidgeot so I could help him."

Prima, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance all understood why Hillary went after Tristan.

"It turns out that we were victims in a Team Rocket heist ourselves," said Prima grimly.

"We knew that Giovanni, the former Viridian Gym Leader would be forced to resign since word got out that more and more Trainers were left unconscious by this mysterious Pokémon," added Bruno.

Mewtwo suddenly felt guilty. _I'm afraid this was my fault,_ it said sadly.

"What do you mean, Mewtwo?" asked Hillary.

 _You and Tristan may remember this story, but before I worked at the Viridian Gym, I never knew that Giovanni would treat me the way he did,_ it explained as everyone listened to its story.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Mewtwo's Awakening)_

 _When I was created and cloned from Mew by the Team Rocket scientists, they treated me solely as an experiment. So I used my Psychic powers to destroy the laboratory. A little later, Giovanni found me and wanted me to work with him, capturing Pokémon and battling Trainers in his Gym, including one named Gary Oak. I defeated his Pokémon with ease and knocked him out cold._

 _When I found out that Giovanni made me his personal property, that was when I destroyed his headquarters. However, he somehow rebuilt this building you see standing before you._

* * *

"So that's how it happened," said Lance. He was now feeling sorry for Mewtwo.

"But it's not all bad," assured Hillary. "Because Tristan and I made friends with Mewtwo and the other Legendary Pokémon, and also, Professor Oak gave me a Pokémon to work with as a test." She took out Squirtle's Pokéball. "Squirtle, go!"

Squirtle emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball, but after seeing Prima, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance, it quickly shrunk back into its shell.

"Looks like that Squirtle is pretty shy," remarked Agatha.

Hillary bent closer to Squirtle. "It's okay, Squirtle," she said. "These people are our friends, like Pidgeot and me."

Squirtle slowly got its head, tail, and limbs out of its shell.

"That's a very cute Squirtle you've got there," said Prima. "And you two seem to get along really well.

"True," agreed Bruno. "Even though you two have known each other for a short time, it seems like a long time ago that you met."

"But that doesn't explain the four Legendary Pokémon helping here," said Lance.

"Oh, my brother and I met them while we were on our journey through Kanto," explained Hillary. "To show their gratitude, they agreed to help out whenever we needed it."

"Now that's what I like to hear," said Lance excitedly. "Now, let's go rescue your friends."

But when they got to the entrance, they saw that boulders were blocking the door shut.

" _Now_ how do we get inside?" moaned Hillary.

"We'll think of something," replied Prima.

At that moment, rain started to fall hard as the lightning grew closer.

"Oh, great," groaned Hillary. "We're all soaking wet."

"Unfortunately, that's the least of our problems," replied Lance.

 _(Music Cue: Title Screen 1997-1998 (M01C))_

Just then, Moltres was bathed in bright orange flames. It roared and flew straight at the door.

Everyone gasped in shock.

"What's that Moltres doing?" asked Hillary.

"That's a Sky Attack!" exclaimed Lance.

Sure enough, Moltres' Sky Attack collided with the door and the rubble blocking it.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the dust that followed.

When the dust cleared, everyone saw that the doorway was clear, too.

"Look! Now we can go in!" said Agatha.

"Then let's go in and help Tristan and the others!" added Hillary.

Everyone started going inside, but Agatha was a little slow. She suddenly tripped and fell, but Hillary managed to catch her just in time.

"Are you okay, Agatha?" asked Hillary.

"I am now, young lady, thanks to you," answered Agatha.

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres were just about to follow when Mewtwo stopped them.

 _I'm afraid you three are going to have to wait out here,_ it said.

The three Legendary birds groaned sadly.

 _You three will come in handy a little later,_ explained Mewtwo as it followed Hillary and the Elite Four inside the building.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part)_

Back inside Team Rocket Headquarters, Pikachu and Persian were just getting ready to face off.

"Prepare to lose, boy," said Giovanni.

"Pikachu and I won't be beaten by the likes of you, Giovanni," replied Tristan.

However, before the battle could begin, the entire building shook with a loud boom. Lightning had apparently struck the top of the building.

"What was that?" gasped Blue.

Before anyone could figure out the answer to that question, a huge lightning bolt came up out of the ceiling, knocking everyone inside off their feet as well, including Tristan, Pikachu, and Giovanni.

The lantern that contained the flame of Moltres inside Giovanni's pocket flew into the air.

"Oh, no! The Moltres flame!" cried Tristan.

"Quick, somebody catch it!" shouted Bill.

Everyone not behind bars did their best to catch it, but unfortunately, there were too many walls in the dungeon to figure out where the lantern was going to land. And so to everyone's horror, the lantern landed on the ground with a crash, breaking the glass and causing the flame to spread all over the dungeon.

 _(Music Cue: Real and Copy! Which are the Strongest? (as heard in "Pikachu Re-Volts"))_

Everyone gasped in horror at the conflagration the Moltres flame was causing. Soon, it had gone completely out of control.

"My headquarters!" cried Giovanni. Then he growled at Tristan. "This is all your fault, little boy! If you hadn't tried to get the flame back from me, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

 _"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STOLE THE FLAME IN THE FIRST PLACE!"_ screamed Tristan.

"Someone let us out before we're all caught in the flames!" shouted Blue.

"Oh, right," said Tristan. He had forgotten that for a minute, but he took out two Pokéballs and threw them. "Charizard, Blastoise, I choose you!"

Charizard and Blastoise emerged from the white lights that shot out of them and awaited Tristan's directions.

"Okay. Blue, Mom, and Dad, I need you three to move back," advised Tristan.

Blue, Sarah, and Bill did as told.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower on the cage!" instructed Tristan.

"Oh, great, so now you're going to make things even hotter?!" exclaimed Blue.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing," replied Tristan. "Go on, Charizard!"

Charizard shot a Flamethrower attack on the corner of the cage, making it extremely hot.

"Great, Charizard! Your turn, Blastoise, use your Hydro Pump attack on that spot," commanded Tristan.

Blastoise shot two blasts of water from its cannons and made the hot part of the cage rusty.

"Now, I just need a Pokémon to use Tackle attack," said Tristan. He tried to look for Pidgeot's Pokéball, but suddenly remembered. "Uh-oh. I forgot that Pidgeot is with Hillary."

"You mean we're stuck here with no way out?" cried Sarah nervously.

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll think of something!" Tristan assured her. Then he thought of Pikachu's Quick Attack. "That's it!"

"What's it?" asked Blue.

"This just might work," said Tristan. "Pikachu, use your Quick Attack on the cage's weak spots!"

Pikachu sped toward the cage with a white line trailing behind it, and sure enough, the Quick Attack broke the cage. Blue, Sarah, and Bill were finally free.

"Thanks a lot, Tristan," said Blue. "We owe you one."

"There's no time for that now, guys," said Tristan. "We have to save the other Pokémon, and we don't have much time."

Giovanni was seething in anger, even after his latest plot failed. "It looks like you and I will have to finish this another time, little boy," he said as he returned Persian to its Pokéball. "But mark my words. You haven't seen the last of me or Team Rocket!" And he cackled as he disappeared into the raging flames.

"Giovanni, come back!" shouted Tristan. "It's much too dangerous!"

Suddenly, a piece of burning debris started falling, and it was headed directly for Tristan and Pikachu.

"Tristan, look out!" cried Sarah and Bill together.

Wasting no time Pikachu jumped in front of Tristan and let loose a Thunderbolt attack at the burning debris, shattering it into dust.

"Thanks, Pikachu," said Tristan. "That was a close one."

Pikachu agreed.

"We have to save the other Pokémon!" cried Sarah.

"Right!" agreed Tristan.

But before they could do that, another giant piece of burning debris started falling; this time, it aimed for the defenseless Pokémon in the cages.

"It's too late!" shouted Blue.

Just then, a little blue silhouette appeared and shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth at the piece of burning debris, knocking it away and the caged Pokémon out of danger.

"That was a powerful Water Gun!" remarked Bill.

"But where did it come from?" wondered Tristan.

 _(Music Cue: Movie Title 1998 (The Start of the Counterattack))_

The silhouette came out of the shadows, and sure enough, it turned out to be Squirtle, with Hillary and Pidgeot standing proudly behind it. Mewtwo was with them.

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Blue.

"It's Hillary!" added Tristan.

"Are we too late for the party?" asked Hillary.

"You're just in time," replied Tristan. "Now, let's save those Pokémon and get outta here!"

* * *

 _And so, Hillary and Squirtle have come to the rescue, and now everyone has been reunited. However, the situation is far from over, as Team Rocket Headquarters is now in flames. Will they be able to escape and save all the Pokémon? Stay tuned to find out!_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	63. Chapter 63: THE FINAL CONFLICT, PART 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Well, we finally made it! The 63rd and final chapter of this story, but don't worry, there'll be more adventures to come soon enough. This chapter is based on my experiences in school where the boiler room caught fire, and I, along with the rest of the people in the building had to evacuate. The firefighters that day were forced to put the fire in the boiler room out, putting an end to that boiler forever. Nobody got injured, and there was none to very little damage to the building itself. The Pokémon theme comes towards the end of the chapter. I DO NOT own Pokémon. Pokémon, Pikachu, and all other character names in the games, the anime, and the books are trademarks of Nintendo. Furthermore, I do not own the Pokémon theme either. The theme was composed by John Siegler and John Loeffler, and the lyrics were written by John Loeffler. The theme was originally performed by Jason Paige. I've been paying careful attention to the lyrics, too. As always, please feel free to read and review. If you want to see any of the chapters, feel free to check them out also.**

 **TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, as well as their friends and family are attempting to save the Moltres flame from going out of control. But will it already be too late? And when Team Rocket does one last attempt at a victory, it's going to be up to Tristan and Hillary to work together with Pikachu and Squirtle!**

 **Chapter 63: THE FINAL CONFLICT, PART 3**

 _(Music Cue: Opening & Title Screen 1997-1998 as heard in the beginning of "Beach Blank-Out Blastoise"))_

 _Last time, Hillary and Pidgeot made it to Team Rocket Headquarters, never suspecting that the Legendary Pokémon, Zapdos, would save them from certain doom when it absorbed a huge lightning bolt. Articuno, Moltres, and Mewtwo also joined in on the action and joined forces with Hillary to aid her in the fight against Team Rocket._

 _Things got even better for them when the Elite Four joined them in their quest. They had also been victims in another Pokémon heist after Giovanni resigned as the Viridian Gym Leader. The entrance to the Headquarters was blocked with boulders, but one Sky Attack later from Moltres, and they were all able to get inside. Mewtwo advised Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres to stay outside so they could save their energy for the big battle ahead._

 _Meanwhile, inside Team Rocket Headquarters, Tristan and Pikachu were facing off against Giovanni and Persian for the freedom of their friends and family as well as their Pokémon and the Elite Four's Pokémon, when suddenly, a huge lightning bolt struck the heart of Team Rocket Headquarters, causing Giovanni to lose the lantern, containing the flame of Moltres for the Pokémon League competition. Tristan and Pikachu did their darnedest to catch it, but the dungeon was so small that they couldn't navigate their way through fast enough to catch it in time. Realizing the danger, Tristan and his Pokémon worked hard to free his parents and Blue first. Once they did, burning debris fell toward the cages. Disaster was imminent, but they were saved by the timely arrival of Hillary and Squirtle. With a race against the clock to save the captured Pokémon and get out of the burning building, just how long can everyone keep their cool?_

* * *

The fire at Team Rocket Headquarters was still raging out of control, but everyone was surprised at Hillary and Squirtle's timely arrival.

"How in the world did you get a Squirtle to work with under the age of ten?" asked Blue. He had an astonished look on his face.

"Well, it is pretty impressive," agreed Tristan.

"We can answer these questions later, but right now, we have to save the Pokémon and get out of this place!" said Hillary. She saw the Pokémon inside the cages in the far corner of the dungeon. "What's with those powerhouses?"

"Hillary, I learned from Giovanni that those Pokémon belong to the Elite Four!" replied Tristan.

Prima, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance were all shocked. "Those are all our Pokémon!" they gasped.

Sure enough, Cloyster, Slowbro, Jynx, Hitmonchan, Onix, Gengar, Golbat, and Dragonite were all looking very miserable.

"So what are you and Tristan going to do, sweetie?" asked Sarah. "Victoria and Charlie are still trapped."

Sure enough, Victor, Sarah's Venusaur; and Charlie, Bill's Charizard; had miserable expressions on their faces, too.

 _(Music Cue: A Fight! Real vs. Copy Pokémon (as heard in "Pokémon Double Trouble"))_

"Don't worry, Mom," replied Hillary. "Squirtle will help us out. Right, Squirtle?"

Squirtle nodded in agreement.

"And Pikachu and I will help, too," added Tristan.

Pikachu agreed also.

"Tristan, use your Lapras," suggested Hillary. "It can help keep the flames at bay while we set the Pokémon free."

"You're right," replied Tristan as he took out Lapras' Pokéball and threw it. "Lapras, go!"

Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Lapras, use your Water Gun on that fire!" ordered Tristan.

Lapras complied and shot a powerful stream of water at the raging fire.

"Are you ready, sis?" asked Tristan.

"You bet!" replied Hillary. She told the imprisoned Pokémon to move back as far as they could.

Charizard and Blastoise stood by, ready for Tristan's orders.

"Go, Charizard! Use your Flamethrower on the cages!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard shot a powerful flame at the cages, making the metal hot.

"Now it's your turn, Blastoise. Hydro Pump!" instructed Tristan.

"Squirtle, Water Gun attack!" added Hillary.

Blastoise shot two powerful blasts of water from its cannons while Squirtle shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth. Sure enough, the combined Water attacks made the hot parts of the cages rusty.

"All right, Pikachu, use your Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

"Help Pikachu with your Tackle attack, Squirtle!" added Hillary.

Pikachu sped toward the cage with a white line trailing behind it while Squirtle charged with a full-body style attack. They successfully broke the cages, setting Blue's and the Elite Four's Pokémon free. Victoria and Charlie were freed, also.

Everyone ran to their Pokémon, who were all overjoyed to see their Trainers.

Blue was especially happy to see his Pokémon, including his Jolteon. "You're all okay!" he cried. "I missed you so much!"

"Hug later! Run now!" cried Hillary as she and Squirtle raced out of the burning dungeon.

"Come on, we'd better follow her!" suggested Bill as he and everyone else ran after her.

Everyone returned their big Pokémon back to their Pokéballs while Hillary kept Squirtle out.

Everyone ran up the stairs from the deepest basement to the first floor and exited the building as fast as they could. All the while, Squirtle was shooting multiple blasts of water at the fire to clear the way.

"You're doing great, Squirtle, just keep up the Water Gun!" said Hillary as she ran.

"You know, Hillary, you're starting to sound like a real Trainer," commended Tristan. "Encouraging your Pokémon and praising them for their hard work. That's part what being a good Trainer is about. Now let's keep going."

"Right!" replied Hillary.

Just as everyone exited the building, the building started collapsing with giant pieces of burning debris falling directly toward everyone.

"Look out! We'll get squashed!" cried Sarah.

"And burned!" added Bill.

Everyone braced themselves and closed their eyes, but fortunately, Mewtwo quickly got in front of everyone and raised a giant glowing blue barrier, shielding everyone from the debris.

Tristan was the first to notice Mewtwo shielding him and his friends from harm. "What's going on?" he asked.

In a moment, the debris stopped falling and Mewtwo's deactivated its protective barrier.

Everyone else opened their eyes.

"It looks like we're okay," said Hillary.

"The Pokémon are all right, too," added Lance.

 _My powerful barrier shielded everyone from harm,_ confirmed Mewtwo.

"Thanks a lot, Mewtwo," said Tristan.

Mewtwo nodded.

"But where are the other Legendary Pokémon?" asked Tristan.

Presently, cries were heard from above. Sure enough, there were Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, safe and sound.

"There they are," said Prima.

"It looks like they avoided the debris by taking cover in the sky," added Bruno.

"Now we can take the Moltres flame back to the Indigo Plateau..." began Tristan, but he soon realized that the Moltres flame was the same one overtaking Team Rocekt Headquarters.

 _(Music Cue: Desperate Situation 1997-1998)_

Everyone gasped in horror as the flame continued to grow and spread into the surrounding forest.

"What do we do?" cried Hillary. "If we don't do something, the forest will be destroyed!"

Moltres landed next to Tristan and felt guilty.

"It's okay, Moltres, it's not your fault," consoled Tristan as he petted it on the head, but he forgot that Moltres' head was flaming too, and so his hand flamed up also. "Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Squirtle quickly came to Tristan and doused his flame.

"Phew! Thanks a lot, Squirtle," sighed Tristan.

"Tristan, you should know better than to get your hands in fire," scolded Hillary.

"We've gotta get the Moltres flame back to the Indigo Plateau," insisted Bruno.

"But how can we?" asked Agatha. "The fire is way too big!"

 _I'm afraid we have no choice,_ said Mewtwo sadly. _We must put out the fire._

"But we can't do that!" gasped Hillary. "If we do, then the competition will be cancelled!"

 _It's the only way,_ persisted Mewtwo.

Tristan thought about the competition possibly getting cancelled, but also thought about the residing Pokémon in the residing forests running away from their homes. He couldn't bear to see their homes destroyed. "We have to protect the Pokémon," he said at last.

"But what about you?" asked Hillary worriedly.

"The competition is just one thing, but the Pokémon mean everything," said Tristan. "I can't just watch this place burn to the ground without doing something to help them."

Everyone thought about what Tristan just said.

"All right, then, Tristan," said Lance. "Prima, Bruno, Agatha, Blue, your family, and I will all go back to the Indigo Plateau and explain the whole situation to Professor Goodshow while you and Hillary stay behind to fight that fire."

"You can count on us, Lance," said Tristan. "Come on, guys, let's go."

"Right!" replied Hillary as Pikachu nodded.

Prima, Bruno, Agatha, Sarah, Bill, Blue, and Lance quickly got into their helicopter and took off into the sky while Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu, and the Legendary Pokémon all set off to help put out the fire and save the Pokémon.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))_

Tristan sent Blastoise and Lapras back out of their Pokéballs to help battle the raging fire on the outside.

"We have to do something to save the Pokémon living here before this whole forest turns to ash!" said Hillary.

"You're right, sis, and we haven't got much time," agreed Tristan. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump! Lapras, Water Gun!"

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun attack, too!" ordered Hillary.

Everyone fired powerful blasts of water at the fire, but it soon became evident that the combined efforts weren't enough.

"It's no use! That fire's getting way too big!" said Hillary.

"We can't give up now," insisted Tristan. "We'll think of something."

But just then, multiple Flamethrower attacks made a ring of fire, surrounding Tristan and his friends.

"We're trapped!" gasped Hillary.

An army of men in black uniforms smirked evilly as a group of bipedal Pokémon with yellow flames stood in front of them.

"Great balls of fire! It's a group of Magmar!" gasped Tristan

"And look who's commanding them!" added Hillary.

"It's Team Rocket!" exclaimed Tristan.

"Pipi-kachu!" added Pikachu.

"All right, you little twerps, that's as far as you go," said one of the Rocket Grunts. "We can't let you extinguish our fire."

"The bigger our wild Moltres fire gets, the bigger our bank accounts get," said another.

"Let us go!" demanded Hillary. "The Pokémon need our help to rescue them from this fire!"

"Yeah, so get lost!" added Tristan.

"Magmar, silence those kids with your Flamethrower," instructed one of the Grunts.

 _(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (Last Battle vs. Rival (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo")))_

All the Magmar lined up and shot their Flamethrowers at Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu.

At that moment, Squirtle jumped in front of them and tried to hold them off with its Water Gun attack. But as powerful as it was, it wasn't enough to keep the Magmar down.

"They're too strong!" said Hillary. "What do we do, Tristan?"

"We stay calm and keep fighting," replied Tristan. "A Trainer gives his friends all the moral support they can muster and help them any way they can. And that's why we'll win against Team Rocket."

"Right," replied Hillary. "Keep it up, Squirtle! You can do it, buddy!"

Squirtle heard those words of encouragement, and suddenly, its Water Gun became much more powerful.

"It's working, Hillary!" said Tristan. "Your encouragement is making Squirtle do its very best out there!"

Pikachu agreed as Blastoise and Lapras came forward to help Squirtle fight back against the Magmar.

"Okay, guys, let's extinguish their plans with your best attacks!" commanded Tristan.

Blastoise doused the flames surrounding Tristan and his friends while Lapras surprised everyone by shooting off a large jet of water from its mouth at the Magmar, knocking them out instantly.

"Whoa, that was a Hydro Pump!" gasped Hillary.

"Okay, Hillary, now that the Magmar are taken care of, it's our turn to attack," said Tristan. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt on 'em!"

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" ordered Hillary.

Squirtle blasted away with its Water Gun while Pikachu combined its Thunderbolt with the Water Gun to create an extremely powerful explosion blasting all the Team Rocket Grunts and their Magmar off into the sky.

"Thanks for your help, Hillary," said Tristan.

"You, too, Tristan," replied Hillary.

Suddenly, without warning, a pulverizing Thunder attack came at Tristan and his friends from behind.

 _(Music Cue: Danger! Pikachu!)_

They were just in time to see the blast coming at them when Zapdos suddenly took it head on.

"Zapdos!" cried Hillary.

"Zapdos is deflecting the attack!" gasped Tristan.

More people in black uniforms came behind yellow humanoid Pokémon shooting off their attacks.

"Electabuzz, use Thunder!" they all commanded.

"Oh, great, there's more of them?!" exclaimed Hillary.

"These guys just won't quit!" added Tristan. "Hang in there, Zapdos! Give it all you've got!"

Zapdos had absorbed a lot of energy from the lightning blast from earlier in the day, and so decided to use the energy boost as well as the blast the Electabuzz gave it to shoot off an extremely powerful Thunder attack of its own. The force of the attack was so great that it split the ground and shocked the Grunts to the core. Despite the resistance to Electric attacks, they were no match for Zapdos's powerful Thunder attack, causing them all to blast off.

Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends were amazed at the display.

"That was the most powerful Thunder attack I've ever seen," remarked Tristan.

"I've never seen anything like it," added Hillary.

 _Those humans won't come back anytime soon,_ replied Mewtwo. _They should have known that it was pointless to go on. Now let's do our job._

 _(Music Cue: Freeing Charizard (heard in the Japanese version of "Pikachu's Vacation" (as heard in "The Pokémon Water War")))_

Tristan and Hillary had almost forgotten about the fire, but they knew they had to help put it out, even if it meant there would be no competition without it.

Blastoise and Lapras combined their Hydro Pump attacks to put out the blaze while Squirtle assisted with its Water Gun. Slowly, but surely, their efforts were making good progress on the fire.

"Keep it up, guys, you're doing great!" commended Tristan.

"You, too, Squirtle!" added Hillary.

Sometime later, several police helicopters came down toward the ground a safe distance from the fire. Out of one of them stepped Officer Jenny and a group of Squirtle. Other officers and firefighters came out, too.

Tristan recognized the first one immediately. "It's Officer Jenny and her Squirtle Squad!" he said.

"I remember them!" added Hillary. "They're the ones who helped put out the fire at the Vermilion Gym!"

Officer Jenny ran over to Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu. "Are you guys okay?" she asked.

"We're fine, thanks," answered Tristan.

"We have more help on the way, and we'll help put out the fire," said Officer Jenny. Then she saw Tristan's Blastoise helping out. "Say, I remember that Pokémon. It's the very same Pokémon I gave to you, isn't it?"

Tristan nodded. "Blastoise and I have become a real team since we first met."

"It sounds like you've treated it very well," commended Officer Jenny. "Now, let's put out that fire."

The Squirtle Squad, all wearing sunglasses, as well as one Squirtle with different sunglasses worked together to put out the fire. Blastoise, Lapras, and Hillary's Squirtle helped them, too.

The other firefighters and officers sent out a group of Blastoise to help out with their Hydro Pump attacks.

It took a lot of effort, but their efforts managed to put the fire completely out and save the wild Pokémon living in the forests.

* * *

 _(Music Cue: To the Hopeful Sky)_

Hours later, everyone was looking at the devastation the fire caused, but were very happy that the chaos was over at last.

"We couldn't have put out the fire without your help, Officer Jenny," said Tristan.

"You kids and your Pokémon really worked well together," commended Officer Jenny. "Tristan, I'm very impressed with the way you, your Blastoise, and your Lapras worked as a team. And you, Hillary, should be very proud of yourself, too, for the way you and Squirtle cooperated and helped your friends out, even as a part-time Trainer."

"Thank you, Officer Jenny," replied Hillary. "But Squirtle deserves most of the credit."

Just then, they heard the sound of whirring blades in the air. It was the helicopter that had all four members of the Elite Four.

"Anybody want a free ride back to the Indigo Plateau?" called Lance.

"It's Lance and the others!" said Tristan.

"I'll see you guys in a little bit, all right?" said Officer Jenny as she and the Squirtle Squad got back into her helicopter and took off into the sky.

 _I have to go, too,_ said Mewtwo. _The Pokémon and I will meet up with you humans again real soon._

"You can count on it," replied Hillary.

As Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu got into the helicopter with the Elite Four to go back to the Indigo Plateau, they waved bye-bye to Mewtwo, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres as they flew over the horizon.

"I wonder what kind of adventures they'll be doing now?" said Tristan.

"Who knows?" replied Hillary. "But one thing's for sure. We'll have more adventures, too."

And they thought about it as they flew into the sky back toward the Indigo Plateau.

* * *

When Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu got there a little bit later, Blue, Sarah, Bill, Veronica, and Eric were all overjoyed to see them.

 _(Music Cue: All's Well that Ends Well)_

"We're so glad you're all okay," said Veronica as she hugged Tristan and Hillary. "I was getting worried about you."

"Thank goodness," added Eric.

Sarah and Bill hugged Tristan and Hillary, too.

"We're so very proud of you," commended Sarah.

"But more importantly, you should be proud of yourselves," added Bill.

"Thanks, everyone," said Tristan. "We all did our best out there."

Hillary and Pikachu agreed.

"Hey, Tristan?" said Blue.

"What's up, Blue?" asked Tristan.

"About before," Blue began. He paused and then said, "I just wanted to apologize for how I treated you and Hillary. All I wanted to do was to prove that I could beat you in battle and be number one. But the way I did it was just wrong. I should never have stolen all the Pokémon from the Pokémon Center during the competition and worked for Team Rocket." Tears started to form in his eyes. "Please forgive me. I just wanted to..." His voice started breaking and he started sobbing as he hugged Tristan.

Tristan put his arms around Blue and said, "It's all right, Blue. Everything's back to normal now. Everyone has their Pokémon back, and so do you. Now you can continue your journey. And someday, I hope we can battle again."

"Oh, Tristan, thank you!" sniffled Blue as he blew a hankie.

"Tristan! Hillary!" called a voice.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu turned to see someone familiar running to them.

"Professor Oak!" said Tristan and Hillary together.

"Ah, so you two finally made it back," smiled Professor Oak. "Tristan, you've grown up so much since you first left Pallet Town with Pikachu. You have truly come of age."

"Thanks for the kind words Professor Oak," replied Tristan.

Professor Oak turned to Blue. "Blue, I'm very disappointed in you. I had wanted to see you since you earned your eight badges, but when I came to the Indigo Plateau during the competition, I found out that you were in Team Rocket! What in the world were you thinking?"

"I know, Grandpa," said Blue. "I'm sorry I let you down. But more importantly, I let myself and my Pokémon down."

"My boy, when will you learn that raising your Pokémon doesn't just mean gaining more power?" continued Professor Oak. "It's about giving your Pokémon love and trust. Without them, you'll never think like a champ again. I just hope you've learned your lesson from all this."

"I did, Grandpa," replied Blue. "I'll never join Team Rocket ever again. I now realize that I need to be friends with my Pokémon in order to be a good Trainer."

"That's a good boy," said Professor Oak. "Just remember that lesson, and you'll always be a winner."

"Right!"

"What do you say we head on over to the Pokémon Center for a little rest and relaxation before the next round of the Pokémon League begins?" suggested Tristan.

"I'm in," replied Veronica.

Everyone else agreed.

* * *

But when they got to the Pokémon Center, everyone was doomed to disappointment as the female newscaster read the special news bulletin on television.

"Because the flame of Moltres was lost, and there's no spare flame for the central torch, officials at the Pokémon League have confirmed that the rest of the competition will be cancelled," she said.

Everyone gasped in shock.

"But what's going to happen with all the remaining Trainers in this competition?" asked Tristan worriedly.

"Chill out, son," said Bill. "There's a reasonable explanation for this."

"However," continued the newscaster, "Trainers who were still in the competition before the cancellation can continue their challenge in the Orange Archipelago, or more simply, the Orange Islands, where four Gym Leaders in the Orange Crew, plus the leader of the Orange Crew will be waiting. Trainers are strongly encouraged to take on this challenge."

Tristan's expression of disappointment and worry turned into excitement and joy. "All right! This is great! Now I can battle even more Gym Leaders!"

"Sounds like you're thinking of another adventure, young man," smiled Veronica. "You must be excited to go to the Orange Islands for a little fun in the sun."

"I am. I can't wait!" replied Tristan.

"Hey, Tristan?" asked Hillary. "I was wondering if I could come with you. Please, may I?"

Tristan gave it a lot of thought. Finally, he said, "Well. I couldn't have made it this far without you. Actually, we couldn't have made it this far without each other. So, Hillary, what do you say about coming with me to the Orange Islands? Me and Pikachu, that is."

"Hooray!" cried Hillary excitedly. "Thanks so much, Tristan!"

Tristan and Hillary hugged each other as everyone else watched.

"Hillary," said Professor Oak.

"What is it, Professor?" asked Hillary.

"I've recently been informed that you and Squirtle did a remarkable job working together," explained Professor Oak. "And you helped Tristan and Pikachu rescue his family and friends, as well as my grandson, Blue. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, Professor Oak," replied Hillary.

"The Elite Four have also told me all about it, and they are just as pleased as I am," continued Professor Oak. "So I've decided to give you the Squirtle as your partner as well as special permission to go on a journey early as a Pokémon Trainer."

 _(Music Cue: I Got a Victory Badge!)_

Hillary could barely contain her excitement. "Wow, Professor Oak! Do you really mean that?"

Professor Oak nodded.

"YES!" shouted Hillary. "I'm now a Trainer!"

"Congratulations, sis!" said Tristan. "I'm very happy for you."

Everyone smiled as Tristan and Hillary embraced one another.

Hillary then knelt closer to Squirtle's level. "So, Squirtle, starting today, you and I are partners full-time," she said.

Squirtle was just as happy for Hillary as Tristan was for her, so it ran into Hillary's arms and they hugged one another.

"Tristan, Hillary?" said Sarah.

"What is it, Mom?" asked Tristan.

"I was wondering what you two want to do after your journey in the Orange Archipelago is over," explained Sarah. "Would you like to come home with your father and me...or would you like to come home with your grandparents?"

Tristan thought about it for awhile. "All of you have been very supportive of Hillary and me ever since I moved to New Bark Town, but I want to make sure I don't become an inconvenience to any of you if you're out on a journey of your own. So maybe I should stay with Grandma and Grandpa for awhile. And maybe when I'm ready, I'll come back to Pallet Town after you're finished. Is that all right?"

Sarah and Bill as well as Veronica and Eric gave the matter a lot of thought.

Finally, Sarah said, "It's a deal. And whenever we decide to build a new house, we'll show you around it when you come visit, and have a battle."

"That's great, Mom. Thank you," replied Tristan.

Sarah and Bill turned to one another.

"Well, honey, shall we go get some sleep and prepare for the next leg of everyone's journey?" asked Sarah.

Bill nodded. "I'm looking forward to the many adventures we have together, dear," he replied. "But we're also looking forward to hearing stories of our children's adventures. We would really love that. Tristan, would you be willing to do that for us?"

"I sure will," said Tristan.

"And I'll make sure Tristan remembers," added Hillary.

"Don't you trust me, Hillary?" asked Tristan.

"Nope," replied Hillary.

Everyone laughed at the heated, but friendly exchange between the two siblings.

Veronica and Eric smiled.

"That's just like us, back when we were kids, right dear?" asked Veronica.

"It sure is, dear." replied Eric. "It sure does."

* * *

 _(Music Cue: Pokémon Theme (as heard in "Friends Till the End"))_

Tristan was excited about the new adventures ahead of him in the Orange Islands as he remembered his journey with Pikachu and Hillary through Kanto.

 _I wanna be the very best  
Like no one ever was  
To catch them is my real test  
To train them is my cause_

 _I will travel across the land_  
 _Searching far and wide_  
 _Each Pokémon to understand_  
 _The power that's inside_

 _Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), it's you and me_  
 _I know it's my destiny_  
 _(Pokémon!)_  
 _Oh, you're my best friend_  
 _In a world we must defend_  
 _Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), a heart so true_  
 _Our courage will pull us through_  
 _You teach me, and I'll teach you_  
 _Po-ké-mon!_  
 _(Gotta catch 'em all!)_  
 _Gotta catch 'em all!_

 _Yeah..._

 _Ev'ry challenge along the way_  
 _With courage I will face_  
 _I will battle ev'ry day_  
 _To claim my rightful place_

 _Come with me, the time is right_  
 _There's no better team,_  
 _Arm in arm, we'll win the fight_  
 _It's always been our dream_

 _Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), it's you and me_  
 _I know it's my destiny_  
 _(Pokémon!)_  
 _Oh, you're my best friend_  
 _In a world we must defend_  
 _Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), a heart so true_  
 _Our courage will pull us through_  
 _You teach me, and I'll teach you_  
 _Po-ké-mon!_  
 _(Gotta catch 'em all!)_  
 _Gotta catch 'em all!_

 _Gotta catch 'em all!_

* * *

 _And so, our heroes managed to save everyone. And even though the Pokémon League was cancelled, Tristan and his friends now happily continue that challenge on a brand new adventure. And with Hillary becoming the newest Pokémon Trainer, she's ready to help Tristan continue his journey on the road to becoming a Pokémon Master!_

 _Gotta catch 'em all!  
Pokémon!_

 **NEXT TIME...** _  
_ **A NEW BEGINNING!**


End file.
